In the wide-ranging exclusive interview, Mo Chara firmly rejects criticism that Kneecap’s stance on Gaza and Israel makes them antisemitic. The band said they are “against discrimination in any form”.

“It’s a real issue. It’s terrible,” he tells the Big Issue. “But when you start labelling bands and people who speak out against Israel as antisemitic, what you do is water that term down. We are not antisemitic.”

Bandmate Móglaí Bap added: “Look, we’re from the north of Ireland. We know about fucking religious conflicts, people using religion as a way to murder, maim and all this stuff. We have gone through that as a country and we want nothing to do with it.”

Kneecap’s first major print interview since Mo Chara’s terrorism charges were dropped will be published in full in Monday’s Big Issue magazine, on sale from street vendors across Britain.

Marking the occasion, graffiti artist 10Foot has created new art which will feature on the cover of next week’s Big Issue. He’s also contributed an exclusive print, which will come free with each magazine.

A year ago, the Big Issue handed editorial control to 10Foot for a special edition of the street magazine. He invited artists including Kneecap and Banksy to make exclusive, unprecedented contributions to the issue.

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