KNEECAP has thanked the hundreds of supporters who came out in force as band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh attended a hearing at Westminster Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The rapper, who performs in the Irish language hip hop group under the name Mo Chara, was met with throngs of flag-waving supporters as well as journalists and photographers as he arrived at the court.
In May the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command charged the Belfast native over a Palestinian flag allegedly displayed at Kneecap’s show at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London on November 21, 2024.
The force said that the 27-year-old displayed the flag "in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hezbollah".
Kneecap band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday, where his hearing was adjourned until September (Pic: Getty Images)Following his first appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 18, he was released on unconditional bail to return yesterday.
He was released on unconditional bail once again as this week's hearing - which was set to establish whether chief magistrate Judge Paul Goldspring has jurisdiction to hear the case - was adjourned.
He is now due to return to the court to hear the judge’s findings on September 26.
Ó hAnnaidh’s bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, who perform as Moglai Bap and DJ Provai respectively, joined him at the hearing.
The band later thanked those supporters who were also in attendance in a social media post.
“A massive GRMA to everyone who came out to support us as their carnival of distraction rolls on,” they said.
“We will be back on September 26 for the Court to determine jurisdiction, we have set out why it does not.”
They added: “Kneecap is not the story. Palestine is the story. The British government are aiding a genocide, do not stop calling them out.”
Guildford Four and Birmingham Six lawyer Gareth Pierce is leading the legal team defending Ó hAnnaidh as he fights the charge against him.
The team also includes Belfast-based Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, Brenda Campbell KC, Jude Bunting KC and Blinne Ni Ghralaigh KC.
