Kneecap have issued a statement after group member Mo Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) was charged with a terror offense. The charge stems from Chara allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in London, according to police.
Specifically, he was officially charged — under the Anglicized name Liam O’Hanna — with displaying a flag at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, on November 21, 2024 “in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation,” said the Metropolitan police, whose counter-terrorism command conducted an investigation after being made aware of an online video of the event that allegedly showed Kneecap shouting “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP” and “up Hamas, up Hezbollah.” It is a crime to show support for Hamas and Hezbollah in the UK, where they are both banned.
Chara is scheduled to appear at a Magistrate’s court on June 18. Kneecap’s response reads:
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.
We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves.
This is political policing.
This is a carnival of distraction.
We are not the story. Genocide is.
As they profit from genocide, they use an ‘anti-terror law’ against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage.
A charge not serious enough to even warrant their ‘crown court’, instead a court that doesn’t have a jury. What’s the objective?
To restrict our ability to travel.
To prevent us speaking to young people across the world.
To silence voices of compassion.
To prosecute artists who dare speak out.
Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification.
The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.
WE STAND PROUDLY WITH THE PEOPLE.
YOU STAND COMPLICIT WITH THE WAR CRIMINALS.
WE ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
YOU ARE NOT.
WE WILL FIGHT YOU IN YOUR COURT.
WE WILL WIN.
FREE PALESTINE
After the video circulated in April, Kneecap released a statement which read, in part, “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history…The real crimes are not in our performances; the real crimes are the silence and complicity of those in power.”
The statement also addressed blowback in America after their Coachella performances, where their calls for “Free Palestine” sparked controversy. “We do not give a f*ck what religion anyone practices,” they said in a statement at the time. “We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are. What we care about is that governments of the countries we perform in are enabling some of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes — and we will not stay silent.”
On Wednesday night, Irish television network RTE broadcast an episode of reality adventure series Uncharted featuring Kneecap that was filmed in January and the group shared part of it on their instagram where Chara said, “I don’t want to be 80, 90 years of age and my grandkids asking me about the Palestinian genocide? Me sitting there being like fuck, I didn’t do enough. I don’t wanna be on that side of history. If it comes down to awards or breaking America by sacrifice what you believe in, then America can go fuck itself.” You can watch that below.
A number of Kneecap shows have been called off since the controversy arose in April, and the band were dropped by their North American booking agent. Kneecap’s fall tour, which includes two sold-out shows at NYC’s Rooftop at Pier 17, is still on.
Kneecap have also been teasing a new single, “The Recap,” that looks to take all this head on and that they say will be out this week. Stay tuned.