Member of Irish rappers Kneecap appears on terrorism charge in UK court

Hundreds of fans turned out to support a member of Irish rap group Kneecap on Wednesday at a London court as he sought to throw out a terrorism charge for allegedly displaying a flag in support of the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who was initially charged under the Anglicised name Liam O’Hanna and whose stage name is Mo Chara, is alleged to have waved the yellow flag of Hezbollah during a Kneecap gig in London on November 21.

O hAnnaidh is accused of holding up the flag on stage while saying “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. Kneecap have said the flag was thrown on stage during their performance.

The 27-year-old was charged in May under the Terrorism Act, which makes it a criminal offence to display an article in a way which arouses reasonable suspicion that someone is a supporter of a proscribed organisation.

O hAnnaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday wearing the keffiyeh scarf associated with the Palestinian cause and had to fight his way through a scrum of photographers to get inside the building.

He sat alongside an Irish language interpreter during the hearing and his bandmates Naoise O Caireallain, stage name Moglai Bap, and J.J. O Dochartaigh, who goes by DJ Provai, were also in court, with supporters filling the public gallery.