A TERRORISM charge against a member of the Irish rap group Kneecap has been thrown out due to a technical error.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had been accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year.
The 27-year-old’s defence team had argued the case should be thrown out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Woolwich Crown Court that the charge was "unlawful" and "null".
He said: "I find that these proceedings were not instituted in the correct form, lacking the necessary [Director of Public Prosecutions] and [Attorney General] consent within the six-month statutory time limit set by section 127.
“The time limit requires consent to have been granted at the time or before the issue of the requisition.
“Consequently the charge is unlawful and null and this court has no jurisdiction to try the charge.”
O hAnnaidh’s lawyer Brenda Campbell KC told a court last month 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 May 21.
She said consent was given the following day, which meant the charge fell outside the six-month timeframe in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O’Neill welcomed the verdict, saying: "These charges were part of a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
“Kneecap have used their platform on stages across the world to expose this genocide, and it is the responsibility of all of us to continue speaking out and standing against injustice in Palestine.”
In a post on social media, Kneecap's manager wrote: "Liam Og 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."
In a statement issued before his appearance at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, the rap trio criticised the Metropolitan Police for removing “our supporters from anywhere close to the court entrance”.
Kneecap said the force had issued a “section 14” order for outside the court building “to prevent serious disorder, damage, disruption, impact or intimidation”.
The statement read: “The Metropolitan Police in London have just invoked a section 14 for our supporters tomorrow led by The London Irish Brigade.
“They previously, and in our view needlessly, did this before the last court date but this time have removed our supporters from anywhere close to the court entrance.
“This is petty in the extreme.
“We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is.”
It urged supporters to comply with the order "irrespective of how pitiful".
