Terror charge tossed out for Kneecap rapper Mo Chara

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A U.K. judge has thrown out a terror charge against a member of the rap group Kneecap.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, a Belfast-based artist and performer known as Mo Chara, was accused of showing a flag supporting the group Hezbollah during a London concert last year. He and his band, Kneecap, denied the charges and stated they do not support the organization.

During Friday’s hearing to decide if the court was the right place to handle the case, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring stated that the legal process hadn’t been started correctly. He explained that it lacked the required approval from either the attorney general or the director of public prosecutions within the six-month deadline, meaning the court couldn’t proceed with the charge.

Goldspring declared the legal case against the defendant invalid and dismissed it, freeing Ó hAnnaidh. The courtroom erupted in cheers from Kneecap fans – including the rapper’s parents – as a result.

Music

The group announced the cancellation of their U.S. tour because of an upcoming court date in London on September 26th. They claim the legal proceedings are part of an unfair pursuit by the British government.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, expressed relief after charges against the band Kneecap were dropped. In a social media post, she stated the charges appeared to be an effort to silence those speaking out against the situation in Gaza, and praised Kneecap for using their platform to raise awareness about what she called a genocide in Palestine, urging continued support for justice in the region.

Kneecap recently canceled their U.S. tour because of a court hearing that would have made it impossible for them to perform in the United States.

World & Nation

Kneecap, the Irish-language rap group known for supporting Palestine and who recently played at Coachella, performed for a huge crowd of tens of thousands of people at the Glastonbury Festival in England.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Ó hAnnaidh explained that the case wasn’t about him, public safety, or terrorism. He stated the government used those terms to unfairly target those who disagree with their policies, emphasizing that the real issue was, and always had been, the situation in Gaza and the consequences of speaking out about it.

Drawing a connection between his work for Palestinian rights and Ireland’s past experiences with colonization, he stated, “As Irish people, we understand oppression, colonialism, famine, and genocide. We’ve been harmed by your empire, and continue to be, but your efforts to suppress us haven’t worked – because we are on the right side of history and you are not.”

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2025-09-26 21:32