An Irish rapper has appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London after waving the flag of a terrorist organization during a concert he held last year.
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, a rapper from Ireland [one of the countries making up the United Kingdom], and member of the rap group Kneecap, appeared in court on Wednesday, facing terrorism-related charges for displaying the Hezbollah flag at his concert in London in November 2024.Ó hAnnaidh, 27, widely known by his stage name Mo Chara, was greeted at the court by a crowd of supporters waving Irish and Palestinian flags, chanting slogans such as “Free Mo Chara.”
Other members of Kneecap, including Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, were also present in court to follow the case.Video footage shown in court captured him holding up the Hezbollah flag an organization that has been on the UK’s list of banned terrorist groups since 2019.
It is also alleged that he was heard chanting: “Long live Hamas, long live Hezbollah,” according to the Evening Standard.Prosecutors stressed that the charges were not connected to Ó hAnnaidh’s expression of solidarity with Palestinians or his criticism of Israel’s government actions.
Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove stated: “He has the right to express his views and to show compassion for victims of injustice. But these charges are not about that they concern the public display of the flag of a proscribed terrorist organization, done in this country.”In a statement, Kneecap condemned the charges, calling them a politically motivated move meant to silence criticism of the UK government’s alleged complicity in war crimes and torture carried out by Israel in Gaza.
The group said: “This is political censorship intended to distract from the UK’s indefensible support for the ongoing war in Gaza.”Meanwhile, security officials enforced strict measures restricting protests near the courthouse, saying it was to prevent unrest or demonstrations that could disrupt public order.
