Kneecap aren’t backing down—inside the courtroom or out.
As Mo Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on terror charges, hundreds showed up in defiant support: Irish flags flying, pro-Palestine chants ringing, and even Paul Weller posted up in the crowd.
Chara allegedly waved a Hezbollah flag and shouted “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a London gig last year. UK authorities call it a terrorism offence. The band—and their growing movement—call it political policing. “We are on the right side of history,” they declared, surrounded by fans, banners, and a vibe more protest than panic.
The scene outside Westminster was electric: fans singing Irish rebel songs, posters reading “Free Mo Chara” and “Defend Kneecap,” and the unmistakable murmur of shared outrage. One supporter even brought a speaker platform. Others just brought flags—and plenty of attitude.
This all follows Kneecap’s explosive Coachella set earlier this year, where they plastered “Fuck Israel” across the screens and slammed US complicity in Gaza. Their message was loud, clear, and unapologetically political. Since then, things have escalated, with UK counter-terror police now combing footage for anything they can stick to the band.
Inside court, it was all procedural: Mo Chara confirmed his name and Belfast address, got released on unconditional bail, and is set to return in August. But the circus around it—the high-profile legal team (including Julian Assange’s solicitor), the Irish language gags, and the mob of supporters—underscored this isn’t just another court case. It’s culture war theatre.
And make no mistake: Kneecap know how to command the stage, whether it’s in a courtroom or on the Pyramid Stage. “We’ll be at Glastonbury, we’ll be at Wembley, and most importantly—free, free Palestine,” they said.
This isn’t a band on the back foot. This is a band treating criminal charges like just another showstopper in the setlist.
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