Kneecap member Mo Chara has been charged with a “terror offence” after a 2024 concert video showed the rapper chanting for Hezbollah and Hamas. Mo, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, is due in court on June 18.
In a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police, they said that Mo has been charged with allegedly displaying a flag “in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation.”
@itvnews Kneecap say terrorism charge an attempt to ‘silence’ them #itvnews ♬ original sound – itvnews
The controversial clip was taken from Kneecap’s show at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town in November 2024, showing Mo wearing a Hezbollah flag and chanting “Up Hamas! Up Hezbollah!”. Support for either of these organizations is illegal, as they are both deemed terrorist organizations by the UK.
Responding to Chara’s charge, Kneecap released a statement on X this morning: “14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us.
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) May 22, 2025
“We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is. As they profit from genocide, they use an ‘anti-terror law’ against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage.”
The group claim the charge has been made to try and strip away their ability to tour and play shows, arguing that its objective is “To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out.”
@yasg106_ BREAKING: Coachella audience erupts in #FREEPALESTINE chant during KNEECAP performance! @kneecap32 shows what it means to be Artists Against Apartheid – using your art, your platform, and voice at stages like #Coachella to be in firm solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for liberation, to fight against the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide, and to stand with the students abducted and detained by ICE, like Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Oztürk, Badar Khan Suri, and Mohsen Mahdawi who are being persecuted for standing on the right side of history. #cochella #performance #audience #stand #artists #artistsagainstapartheid #chant #concerts ♬ Inspirational – neozilla
The groups current controversy began with their performance at Coachella, earlier in April this year. During their sets on both weekends of the festival, they displayed pro-Palestinian messages, claiming that Israel is “commiting genocide against the Palestinian people”. They also led the crowd in a chant of “Maggie’s In A Box”, celebrating the death of divisive Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
After the government announced it was launching an investigation into the Irish rap trio, Kneecap made a statement denouncing both Hamas and Hezbollah, also asserting that they don’t support violence against any politicians.
There were split opinions over their strong stance on Palestine and their freedom of speech. Their concerts in Germany have been cancelled, celebrities like Sharon Osbourne have called for a revocation of their visas, and they’ve separated from their booking agency. At the same time, many musicians stood behind the Belfast band, with artists such as Massive Attack, Paul Weller, Fontaines DC and IDLES signing a letter from Kneecap’s record label stating that together they “stand for freedom of expression.”
Even after the uproar and cancellations, the band are still on the bill to perform at Wide Awake Festival on Friday, 23 May at Brockwell Park. They’re also still set to perform at Glastonbury later this summer – you can read our coverage on that here.
