The charges brought against Kneecap’s Mo Chara have been dismissed on a technicality. The Belfast rap group had their case moved to Woolwich Crown Court due to unforeseen circumstances, where the charge was deemed “unlawful” and “null” by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring.
The allegations against Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, stemmed from an incident last November where he reportedly displayed a Hezbollah flag and made inflammatory remarks during a Kneecap performance. Despite the charges, Kneecap denied any support for proscribed organisations, claiming the footage was taken out of context.
Following the dismissal, Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert tweeted: “We have won!!!!!! Liam Óg is a free man. We said we would fight them and win. We did (twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER. Political policing has failed. Kneecap is on the right side of history. Britain is not. Free Palestine.”
The band have consistently defended their performances as satirical, arguing that their commentary is often misconstrued. Kneecap have faced controversy for their outspoken pro-Palestine stance, as seen during their Coachella 2025 performance where they criticised the Israeli government.
Kneecap continue their tour across the UK and Europe through autumn and winter 2025.
Leave a Reply