Sinn Féin raises alarm over attack on artists’ freedom of expression – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

Sinn Féin spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts and Culture, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, has raised alarm over increasing attacks by Governments on the freedom of expression of artists.

Teachta Ó Snodaigh said:

“In recent weeks, I met with renowned artists and activists Margaretta D’Arcy and Shane Cullen in Leinster House to discuss a motion passed by the General Assembly of Aosdána calling for an annual day to celebrate freedom of expression in solidarity with embattled and imprisoned artists throughout the world.

“Too many artists are today imprisoned or facing persecution around the world as a result of speaking truth to power or throwing light through their artistic work on injustice.

“Sinn Féin has a proud history of standing with those artists and demanding that they be left at liberty to do their work free from interference and censorship.  

“Having had the voices of our members silenced under Section 31 as recently as 1994, our party understands the chill of the censor more than most, which is why protecting freedom of expression was a commitment in our 50-point arts policy published last year, ‘Poblacht na hÉireann, Poblacht na nEalaíon’.

“We now have the extraordinary situation where the British Government, clearly sore from last year’s High Court ruling that they had discriminated against the band Kneecap in a funding decision, has gone so far as to instruct concert organisers which acts they should allow to perform.

“This follows nearly an hour of parliamentary debate dedicated solely to chastising this one Irish language rap group in the House of Commons, which included calls for the musicians to be imprisoned and for sources of income for their work to be cut off.

“Such an authoritarian response to a band so soon after they chose to highlight the Starmer administration’s complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza during their concerts will be seen for what it is: a sinister effort to silence dissent and revenge for their audacity to fight back, both in the courts and from the stage.

“It is concerning that this same attitude has arrived on our shores with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin taking the time to call on the musicians to clarify their political stance, and that RTÉ as a public service broadcaster would subject the band’s manager to a grilling on foot of the Taoiseach’s edict.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have a long, dark history of ostracising artists, from the banning of books in the early years of the state through to Tánaiste Simon Harris chastising a piece of art by Spicebag on the harsh reality of evictions as ‘offensive, inappropriate and disrespectful’.

“Just as Simon Harris wished to direct debate away from the consequences of his Government’s disastrous policies on housing, Micheál Martin wants to deflect from his own failures in holding Israel to account for war crimes and genocide.

“The policing of thought and chastising of artists who dare to use their platform to question Government has a chilling effect.  The social commentary our artists provide can provoke uncomfortable discussions which those in power would rather avoid.

“You don’t have to agree with someone to value and support their right to say – or indeed sing – what they think, however offensive, and it is not the job of Government to hold artists, musicians, and citizens to account for their views.

“On the contrary, it is the right of artists, musicians, and citizens to hold Government to account for their action or inaction, and Sinn Féin will always defend their freedom to do so.”