Star of rap group Kneecap charged with terrorism offence over Hezbollah flag

A member of rap group Kneecap has been charged with a terror offence, the Metropolitan Police said.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged under the name Liam O’Hanna over the displaying of a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, on November 21 last year.

O hAnnaidh, 27, of Belfast, was charged by postal requisition and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18, the Met said.

Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were made aware on April 22 of an online video from the event, the force said.

An investigation led to the Crown Prosecution Service authorising the charge.

Counter-terrorism police

Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police said Kneecap were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.

The Belfast rap trio have had several gigs cancelled after the footage emerged.

But they are still listed to headline the Wide Awake Festival in Brockwell Park, south London, on Friday.

The group apologised last month to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been “exploited and weaponised”.

They also said they have “never supported” Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Kneecap to be banned while other politicians pushed for the group to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival line-up.

Campaign Against Antisemitism, which reported Kneecap to counter-terrorism police, posted on X: “We are pleased to see the police have acted swiftly. Hamas and Hizballah are both proscribed terrorist organisations in the UK. The law must be enforced.”

TUV deputy leader Court Councillor Ron McDowell welcomed the move.

He said: “The truth is simple: we cannot and must not permit the glorification of terror — whether the terrorism is rooted in Northern Ireland or the Middle East.”

‘Outrageous’

Paul Maskey, the Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast, described the move as “outrageous” in a post on X.

He wrote: “Genocide is unfolding before our eyes. Babies in Gaza are being starved to death. Whole families are slaughtered by a genocidal, out-of-control Israeli regime. Yet it’s Kneecap, who are using their voice to expose this genocide, who face charges by British police. Outrageous!”

In 2024, the band released an eponymous film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender which is a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together.

The comedy movie follows the Belfast group on their mission to save their mother tongue through music.

The film was nominated for six Baftas and took home the award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.

It was also among the big winners at the Irish Film and Television Academy, scooping four awards including best director for Rich Peppiatt.