UK court throws out terror charge against Kneecap rapper Mo Chara over Hezbollah flag case

Highlights:

• Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, had a charge of displaying a Hezbollah emblem thrown out at Woolwich Crown Court.
• Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ruled the prosecution was brought forward unlawfully due to a missed deadline.
• The Kneecap member and his supporters claimed the case was a politically motivated attempt to silence pro-Palestinian voices.
• Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill welcomed the decision, criticising the initial charges.

In a significant legal development, a terror-related charge against Kneecap rapper Mo Chara has been dismissed. The ruling at Woolwich Crown Court centred on a procedural misstep by prosecutors, who filed the charge one day outside the legal time limit. This outcome brings a close, for now, to a case that had become a flashpoint in debates about artistic expression and political speech. The incident stems from a London concert where the Irish-language hip-hop artist waved a flag.

Mo Chara celebrates outside Woolwich Crown Court after terror charge dismissal Instagram/kneecap32

What was the terror charge against Kneecap's Mo Chara?

The charge was specific. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, was accused of displaying an article in a public place that could arouse reasonable suspicion that he was a supporter of a proscribed organisation. This related to an event last year where he waved a Hezbollah flag during a Kneecap gig in the city. Hezbollah is entirely banned in the UK as a terrorist group. The charge against the Kneecap member was a serious one, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to six months along with a fine. The prosecution itself was not contested on the facts of the event, but rather on the technicality of its timing.

Why was the Kneecap court case thrown out?

The case collapsed purely on a legal technicality. The prosecution acknowledged they had submitted the charge against Ó hAnnaidh one day after the statutory six-month time limit for summary-only offences had expired. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring agreed with the defence's assessment that this error rendered the proceedings "unlawfully instituted" and therefore "null." Essentially, the court lost the authority to hear the case because the prosecutors missed their deadline. The court did not judge the merits of the charge or the motivations underlying the act, according to this technical dismissal.

What was the response of Mo Chara's fans after the dismissal?

Outside the court, Ó hAnnaidh didn’t hold back, calling the entire case a political move designed to muzzle the band. "We will not be silent," he told the crowd, linking the situation directly to Irish history and the war in Gaza. Support came from the very top, with Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill weighing in directly. She called the charges a "calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza." For Kneecap and their fans, this wasn’t about getting off on a technicality. It felt like a win; a confirmation that their protest, however controversial, wouldn’t be easily silenced.

What does this mean for Kneecap's future and controversies?

This court result does little to distance Kneecap from the controversies that have followed them. The Belfast trio, known for their provocative mix of Irish-language rap and staunch republican politics, has previously been banned from performing in Canada and Hungary. Their support for the Palestinian cause has been a consistent feature of their public statements.

Mo Chara addresses supporters after charge linked to Hezbollah emblem is droppedInstagram/kneecap32

While this particular legal threat has receded, the band remains a lightning rod for criticism. The Crown Prosecution Service has noted it is reviewing the decision, leaving a small window open for a potential appeal. For a group with a self-titled biopic that recently gained acclaim at Sundance, the headlines surrounding this court case only solidify their reputation as agitators, ensuring their platform, and the debates that come with it, will remain firmly in the public eye.