Kneecap's Mo Chara Reportedly Charged With Terror Offence
Mo Chara is due to appear in court on Wednesday, 18 June.
Kneecap (Credit: Peadar Ó Goill)
Mo Chara, a member of the popular yet controversial Irish rap trio Kneecap, has been charged with a terror offence, BBC reports.
At a November 2024 concert at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, Chara—real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who’s been charged under the name Liam O’Hanna—allegedly brandished the Hezbollah flag and reportedly shouted, “Up Hamas! Up Hezbollah!”
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, and Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militant group, are both designated terrorist organisations in the United Kingdom.
Footage of the incident was widely shared following the group’s performances at Coachella last month, where they shared pro-Palestine messages and criticised the US government for its alleged involvement in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas on the screens behind them.
Earlier this month, Metropolitan Police’s counter-terror officers revealed that they’d investigate the footage from Kneecap’s November show.
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After it was announced that the trio would be investigated, Kneecap commented in a statement: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay.”
Mo Chara is due to appear in court on Wednesday, 18 June.
An episode of Uncharted with Ray Goggins starring Kneecap aired in the UK overnight. The trio shared a snippet on social media and, referring to the charge against Chara, added: “We are clearer than ever on who we are and what we stand for. We will have a short statement soon. FREE PALESTINE.”
Kneecap hail from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They released their debut album, 3CAG, in 2018, and followed it up with Fine Art in 2024. Their second album coincided with the release of the semi-biographical film about the group, Kneecap, which further boosted their popularity.
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