Rapper from the Northern Irish trio Kneecap, accused of supporting Hezbollah, appears in London

BEIRUT — Mo Chara, the rapper from the Northern Irish trio Kneecap, accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a concert, appeared in London on Wednesday for a "terrorist offense," supported by hundreds of supporters who crowded in front of the court.

Liam Og O Hannaidh — his real name in Gaelic — was charged on May 21 for covering himself with the Hezbollah flag, classified as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom, during the group’s concert in London on Nov.21, 2024. He is also accused of having shouted "Go Hamas! Go Hezbollah!"

In mid-June, during a first hearing, the rapper’s lawyers stated that his indictment had occurred outside the legal six-month period. The case was postponed to late August, and this issue was to be examined Wednesday during the hearing, which began mid-morning. The group has always denied any support for Hezbollah, denouncing the decision as "political."

Hundreds of supporters had assembled outside Westminster court on Wednesday morning. "Free Palestine," they chanted, waving Palestinian and Irish flags or placards calling to "Free Mo Chara." Chara arrived amidst the crowd, his face partially covered with a Palestinian keffiyeh and accompanied by another member of the group, Moglai Bap.

Mary Hobbs, 31, came from Belfast to support the rapper. "The charges are absurd," she declared, calling the judicial system "flawed."

Provocateurs

Bold provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, the members of the group have attracted media and political attention in recent months in the United Kingdom. The cause: fierce statements against Israel and the war in the Gaza Strip. This war was triggered after the unprecedented Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The Israeli offensive has killed 62,064 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

Despite urgent calls from conservative lawmakers to cancel Kneecap’s appearance at the prestigious Glastonbury Festival in late June, they were able to perform there, continuing their criticism of Israel. However, Kneecap was banned from entering Hungary in late July, where they were scheduled to perform. They are due to take the stage Sunday at the Rock en Seine festival in Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris.

During the hearing in mid-June, prosecutor Michael Bisgrove maintained that "this case is not about O'Hanna's support for the Palestinian people, nor about his criticism of Israel."

The Northern Irish trio rose to fame in 2024 with their album "Fine Art" and a wild docu-fiction, "Kneecap." The film notably won an award at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States and was released in France in June. Founded in 2017, Kneecap advocates for the reunification of Ireland and sees their language as an "anti-colonialist" cry against British power. The group’s name (kneecap) comes from the practice of paramilitary groups who shot their victims in the knees during the Northern Irish conflict.