Kneecap member charged with terror offence
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Kneecap Rapper Charged with Terror Offence over Hezbollah Flag at London Gig
Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, a member of the Irish-language rap group Kneecap, has been charged with a terrorism-related offence following an incident at a London performance where he allegedly displayed a flag supporting the banned militant group Hezbollah.
Ó hAnnaidh, 27, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is accused of showing the flag during Kneecap’s concert at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on 21 November 2024. The UK government classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and expressing support for it is a criminal offence under British law.
He was charged by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command after a video from the concert surfaced online and was flagged to authorities on 22 April 2025. The Crown Prosecution Service later authorized the charge following an investigation. The Belfast native is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 June.
In a strongly worded statement posted on Kneecap’s social media platforms, the group denied the charge and pledged to “vehemently defend” themselves in court. They labelled the situation as “political policing” and a “carnival of distraction,” drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“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,” the group said.
Earlier this year, Metropolitan Police said they were also investigating other videos allegedly showing members of Kneecap making inflammatory statements, including chanting slogans such as “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and calling for violence against British MPs. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are proscribed organizations in the UK, and promoting or showing support for them is illegal.
Kneecap have firmly denied any support for either group, stating that their performances are artistic and satirical. They maintain the video clips have been taken out of context and say they have never incited violence.
Since the controversy erupted, several of the group’s gigs have been cancelled. Their U.S. booking agency, Independent Artist Group (IAG), dropped them after their set at Coachella in April, where they displayed politically charged messages referencing the conflict in Gaza. Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne publicly called for their U.S. visas to be revoked.
Despite the backlash, Kneecap are still scheduled to headline the Wide Awake festival in Brockwell Park, South London, this Friday.
Kneecap, who perform primarily in Irish and English, have built a reputation for provocative lyrics, merchandise, and performances since forming in Belfast in 2017. The trio — Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí — have often used satire and political commentary as tools for artistic expression.
Their growing notoriety has also caught the attention of the film world. A semi-fictionalised movie about their rise to fame, starring Michael Fassbender, won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award in February 2025.
However, the group has consistently attracted criticism for what many view as incendiary content. The legal charge comes on the heels of a previously settled lawsuit involving UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. The case revolved around her 2023 decision to withdraw an arts grant awarded to the group when she was a minister. Badenoch has since continued to criticize Kneecap, most recently reposting one of the controversial gig videos while blaming the Labour government for settling the case.
The case against Ó hAnnaidh is now drawing broader questions about artistic freedom, free speech, and the boundaries of political expression in the UK. It also places Kneecap at the heart of an intensifying debate about national security, civil liberties, and the role of art in political discourse.
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