As a former soldier and survivor of physical and psychological injury inflicted by the Provisional IRA, I am deeply disturbed and appalled by the decision to include the band Kneecap in the lineup for this year’s Green Man Festival.

The group’s name - a reference to the brutal practice of "kneecapping," a method of terror/paramilitary punishment that left hundreds of victims maimed during The Troubles in Northern Ireland - is not a harmless artistic expression. It is a glorification of violence that trivialises the lived trauma of thousands who suffered at the hands of terrorist organisations.

The band has also come under widespread criticism for inflammatory political commentary, including alleged calls for violence against Conservative MPs. At a time when the UK is still reeling from the murders of public servants like Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, such rhetoric is not only deeply irresponsible but profoundly dangerous.

To allow Kneecap to perform at a widely attended public festival sends a clear and deeply troubling message - that provocation, and even celebration of past atrocities, is acceptable under the guise of cultural expression.

For those of us who served, suffered, or lost loved ones during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, this decision is not just disappointing - it is a grave insult. I urge the organisers of the Green Man Festival to reconsider their platforming of artists whose message undermines the dignity of victims and glorifies an era of terror that should never be repeated.

I have always believed that our nation has stood on the right side of history when it comes to matters of justice, peace, and human dignity. It is essential that we continue to uphold these values. Any attempt to glorify, minimise, or romanticise acts of terrorism undermines the dignity of victims and risks legitimising a period of violence and fear that should never be repeated. Such actions are not only deeply insensitive but fundamentally wrong.

I urge the management of the Green Man Festival to reflect seriously on these concerns. The pursuit of profit or popularity must never come at the expense of ethical responsibility. Wales must remain a place that stands for peace, respect, and the remembrance of those who have suffered - not a platform for revisionism or glorification of terror.

Rob Hughes, Swansea.