Kneecap’s Mo Chara Charged Under UK Terror Law—Band Calls It “Political Policing”
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh—better known to fans as Mo Chara of the Irish-language rap group Kneecap—has been charged under the UK’s Terrorism Act after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London gig last November.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the charge stems from a performance at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on 21 November 2024. Mo Chara is due to appear in court on 18 June. The band is currently set to headline Wide Awake festival in London this week.
Kneecap responded swiftly, calling the charges “a carnival of distraction” and claiming this is part of a wider campaign to silence political dissent. “14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza… and once again the British establishment is focused on us,” they said in a defiant statement posted on social media.
The Belfast trio, whose rising star status recently earned them a BAFTA-winning film, has come under increasing scrutiny after videos circulated online that allegedly show them shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and urging violence against UK politicians. The band strongly denies supporting any proscribed groups or inciting violence, calling the footage misleading and taken out of context.
“We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay,” they said in an earlier statement. “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah.”
The controversy has led to show cancellations across Europe, including in Germany and the UK. The group was dropped from line-ups at the Eden Project and lost sponsorship and agency support after their Gaza messaging at Coachella.
Despite the backlash, artists including Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C., Brian Eno, and Tom Morello have signed a public letter supporting Kneecap’s right to freedom of expression.
For now, all eyes turn to Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June—while Kneecap prepares to take the Wide Awake stage under the weight of global attention.