Hundreds of fans of the Irish rap group Kneecap demonstrated outside a London court on August 20, as a band member faced terrorism charges for allegedly endorsing Hezbollah.
Liam O’Hanna, 27, known as Mo Chara on stage, was charged in May for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a concert in London last November.
He arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court with fellow band members, greeted by supporters waving banners and chanting “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara”.
The hearing on Wednesday focused on legal arguments, with the defense aiming to dismiss the charges on a technicality.
The court postponed the case to September 26 for a verdict.
Since Hezbollah, a Lebanese group backed by Iran, was banned in the UK in 2019, showing any support for it has been illegal.
Recently, Kneecap has made headlines with bold statements against the war in Gaza and Israel.
The hearing occurs amid growing controversy in the UK over prosecuting individuals accused of supporting banned groups.
Over 700 arrests have been made, mostly at protests, since the Palestine Action group was banned in early July under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The government banned Palestine Action shortly after it claimed responsibility for a break-in at a southern England air force base, causing £7.0 million ($9.3 million) in damage to two aircraft.
The group stated their actions were in response to Britain’s indirect military support for Israel during the Gaza conflict.
Supporting a banned group is a criminal offense with penalties up to 14 years in prison.
Provocative
Kneecap and O’Hanna, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, have garnered significant support from fans since his initial court appearance in June.
Mary Hobbs, 31, from Belfast, said on August 20: “I’m glad I could make it. I took a day off just to be here.”
“The charges are outrageous, absolutely outrageous. The justice system is broken when things like this happen.”
Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove stated at the previous hearing that the case was “not about Mr O’Hanna’s support for the people of Palestine or his critique of Israel”.
“He is fully entitled to express his views and show solidarity,” Bisgrove said.
The case, instead, concerns O’Hanna wearing and displaying “the flag of Hezbollah, a banned terrorist organization, while allegedly saying ‘Up Hamas, up Hezbollah'”.
After Wednesday’s hearing, O’Hanna thanked the crowd outside for their support and encouraged everyone “to continue discussing Palestine” and the conflict with Israel.
The rebellious punk-rap band denies the accusations, claiming the video leading to the charges was misinterpreted.
Seen as daring provocateurs by fans and dangerous extremists by critics, the group raps in both Irish and English.
Formed in 2017, the band is no stranger to controversy. Their lyrics often reference drugs, and they have clashed with the UK’s former Conservative government and opposed British rule in Northern Ireland.
Last year, they gained international fame through a semi-fictional film based on them, winning several awards including at the Sundance festival.
