Kneecap’s Mo Chara will not face a terrorism trial after the UK High Court rejected an appeal from the Crown Prosecution Service, bringing a long running legal saga around the Belfast rap group to a close.
The rapper, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, had been charged after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and shouting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah,” during a Kneecap gig at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on November 21st, 2024.
Kneecap have repeatedly denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah, the group argued the moment was taken out of context and previously described the prosecution as a “carnival of distraction.”
Ó hAnnaidh has also said he did not recognise the flag when he picked it up and claimed the remarks were made jokingly while in character on stage (per The PRP).
Court Rules Charge Was Unlawful
The case had already collapsed once before, in September Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ruled the charge was “unlawful” and “null” because of the way the prosecution was brought forward
Goldspring had earlier ruled that prosecutors required permission from the Attorney General before bringing the charge, although that permission was later granted, Ó hAnnaidh’s legal team argued it fell outside the six month time limit required to bring the case.
The Crown Prosecution Service appealed the ruling, but two High Court judges, Lord Justice Edis and Justice Linden, have now upheld the original decision.
In their judgment, the judges stressed that the ruling centred on a technical legal issue, rather than the alleged conduct itself.
“The respondent has not been tried for his alleged conduct and will not be tried,” the ruling stated. “He has not been convicted, and he has not been acquitted.”
Kneecap Celebrate Decision
Kneecap responded almost immediately online:
“Get in!!!!!! Kneecap: 3 Brit Govt: 0. The worlds biggest terrorists are the leaders of the British state. Free Palestine. Free the six counties.”
The group later shared footage of supporters gathering outside court alongside clips from their live shows.
“Easy Peasy – never in doubt 💚🤍🧡,” they wrote. “Free Palestine.”
Speaking in Belfast after the decision, Ó hAnnaidh said the legal drama should not distract from events in Gaza.
“This is bigger than us. Whatever kind of stress that we felt, it’s minimal compared to the stress put on the families in Gaza. We’ll continue to use whatever platform we have to talk about Gaza.”
Kneecap are currently preparing to release their new album ‘FENIAN’, arriving April 24th via Heavenly Recordings, with recent singles ‘Liars Tale’ and ‘Smugglers & Scholars’ already stirring debate.
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