Member of Belfast rap trio Kneecap charged with terror offence

A member of Belfast rap trio Kneecap has been charged with a terror offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah during a London gig.

Hezbollah is a proscribed organisation in the UK, and showing support for it is a criminal offence.

Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, has been charged by the Metropolitan Police after an incident on 21 November 2024 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London.

Under the name Liam O’Hanna he is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 18 June.

In a statement on social media, Kneecap said: “We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves.”

The group described the charge as “political policing” and said the affair is “a carnival of distraction”.

The statement continued: “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.”

Earlier this month, the Met said it would investigate online videos that allegedly show the group shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and calling for British MPs to be killed.

The group has since apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said it did not support Hamas or Hezbollah.