Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap have issued an announcement in response to member Mo Chara (born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) being charged with a terror offense by London’s Metropolitan Police.
Ó hAnnaidh was charged on Wednesday, Might twenty first, for allegedly displaying a flag in assist of Hezbollah throughout their live performance at O2 Discussion board in Kentish City, London in November 2024. Hezbollah is designated as a “proscribed” terrorist group underneath UK legislation, making this an offense underneath the Terrorism Act of 2000.
“We deny this ‘offence’ and can vehemently defend ourselves,” Kneecap wrote on social media. “That is political policing. It is a carnival of distraction. We’re not the story. Genocide is.”
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The group added, “14,000 infants are about to die of hunger in Gaza, with meals despatched by the world sitting on the opposite aspect of the wall, and as soon as once more the British institution is concentrated on us.”
“As they revenue from genocide, they use an ‘anti-terror legislation’ towards us for displaying a flag thrown on stage,” Kneecap continued. “A cost not critical sufficient to even warrant their ‘crown courtroom,’ as a substitute a courtroom that doesn’t have a jury. What’s the target?”
The band additional criticized the British authorities by saying, “As an alternative of defending harmless folks, or the ideas of worldwide legislation they declare to uphold, the highly effective in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, simply as they did in Eire for hundreds of years. Then, like now, they declare justification.”
“We stand proudly with the folks,” they concluded. “You stand complicit with the warfare criminals. We’re on the precise aspect of historical past. You aren’t. We are going to battle you in your courtroom. We are going to win. Free Palestine.”
Ó hAnnaidh was charged following an investigation launched by UK counter-terrorism police earlier this month into on-line movies allegedly exhibiting Kneecap expressing assist for Hamas and Hezbollah.
Kneecap beforehand launched an announcement saying they “don’t, and have by no means, supported Hamas or Hezbollah.” They added, “An extract of footage, intentionally taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it have been a name to motion.”
The group has been underneath immense scrutiny since displaying pro-Palestine, anti-Israel messaging at Coachella 2025: Sharon Osbourne publicly referred to as for his or her work visas to be rescinded, they parted methods with US reserving company Impartial Artist Group, and several other of their concert events have been canceled in Germany.
A number of high-profile UK acts, together with Large Assault, Pulp, Primal Scream, Fontaines D.C., IDLES, and The Pogues, have supported Kneecap, signing an open letter defending their freedom of expression.
Kneecap are set to play their first live performance since Coachella at London’s Huge Awake Competition this Friday, Might twenty third. Ó hAnnaidh is scheduled to seem in Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket on June 18th.
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) Might 22, 2025