Kneecap’s Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, has been released on unconditional bail following his first court appearance in London on terror charges related to an alleged incident where he displayed a Hezbollah flag at a concert.
As per Rolling Stone, the Belfast rapper appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, June 18th for a preliminary hearing that was largely procedural. Ó hAnnaidh spoke only to confirm his name, with the judge scheduling his next court date for August 20th.
The terror charge stems from footage captured at a November 2024 concert in London, where Ó hAnnaidh allegedly displayed the Hezbollah flag and shouted, “Up, Hamas, up Hezbollah,” as well as, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory.” Both Hamas and Hezbollah are banned organisations in the UK, making public support for them a criminal offence.
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If convicted, Ó hAnnaidh could face up to six months in prison and a fine.
The Irish hip-hop group has consistently denied the allegations, stating they “do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah.” The band has claimed the footage from the November 2024 concert was “deliberately taken out of all context” and suggested the terror charge is retribution for their outspoken support for Palestine and criticism of the UK and US governments for continuing to provide arms to Israel.
During Wednesday’s hearing, prosecutor Michael Bisgrove emphasised that the case was not about Ó hAnnaidh’s support for Palestine or criticism of Israel, noting that he is “well within his rights to voice his opinions and solidarity, as is anybody else.” Instead, Bisgrove stated the case centres specifically around the video from the November 2024 concert.
Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyer, Brenda Campbell, argued that authorities charged the rapper outside the six-month statute of limitations for a terror offence. The concert took place on November 21st 2024, but London Metropolitan police only became aware of the alleged incident in late April 2025, shortly after Kneecap’s controversial Coachella performance where they displayed messages about the war in Gaza. The charge was brought on May 21st, exactly six months after the London concert.
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“If we are right in relation to that, then this court has no jurisdiction and there ends the case,” Campbell said regarding the timeline.
Ó hAnnaidh arrived at the London courthouse alongside bandmates Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin) and DJ Próvai (JJ O’Dochartaigh), all wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves. They were met by supporters outside the court, many waving Palestinian and Irish flags.
In a social media statement following the hearing, Kneecap wrote, “British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with ‘terrorism’ for crimes never committed. We will fight them. We will win.”
