A London court has thrown out a terror-related charge against a member of the Belfast rap trio Kneecap.
Rapper Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, had been charged with a single count for allegedly waving a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring sitting at Woolwich Crown Court said today that the case should be thrown out following a technical error in the way the charge against the rapper was brought.
"Proceedings against the defendant were instituted unlawfully and are null."
Indeed, during last month’s second court appearance, defence counsel Brenda Campbell KC told the court that the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on 21 May.
Following his ruling, the judge concluded: "Mr Ó hAnnaidh, you are free to go," which was met by cheers in the public gallery.
Taking to X to celebrate, the band’s manager Daniel Lambert wrote: “We have won!!!!!! Liam Óg is a free man. We said we would fight them and win. We did (twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER. Political policing has failed. Kneecap is on the right side of history. Britain is not. Free Palestine.”
Kneecap have consistently denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah and said that they do not incite or condone violence, despite criticism for their politically-charged live shows.
The band has denied accusations of anti-Semitism, claiming that those attacking the band “weaponize” the false accusation to “distract, confuse, and provide cover for genocide.”
Kneecap has frequently used their platform at various music festivals to speak out not against the Jewish people but against Israel's war in Gaza.
Since Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens on October 7, 2023, multiple UN human rights experts have stated that Israel’s military actions in Gaza amount to genocide, with the International Court of Justice finding claims of genocide plausible. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification announced that people in the Gaza Strip are officially facing “a man-made” famine in the territory.
Israel has rejected the genocide accusations and maintain that its operations are lawful acts of self-defence. Claims Kneecap have vocally rebuked. And continue to do so.
