UK prosecutors try to reinstate terrorism charge against Kneecap rapper

LONDON, January 14 (Reuters) – British prosecutors sought on Wednesday to revive terrorism charges against a member of Irish rap group Kneecap for displaying a flag of Iran-backed Lebanese militia group Hezbollah at a concert in London, after a court dismissed the case last year.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, whose stage name is Mo Chara, was accused of flying the flag of the banned militant group Hezbollah during a concert in November 2024.

The charge was dropped in September after a court ruled that the charge was in fact filed without the permission of the Attorney General and the Attorney General, as well as one day outside the six-month statutory period.

But the Crown Prosecution Service said it would appeal the decision, and his lawyer Paul Jarvis told London’s High Court on Wednesday that permission was only required when Ó hAnnaidh first appeared in court, meaning the case could go ahead.

Kneecap, known for his politically charged lyrics and support for the Palestinian cause, said the case was an attempt to distract from what they described as British complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies committing genocide in the small coastal region.

JJ Ó Dochartaigh, who goes by DJ Próvaí, was in court but Ó hAnnaidh did not need to attend and was not there.

DIZAP says prosecution is a distraction

Ó hAnnaidh was accused in May of displaying a Hezbollah flag in a manner that raised reasonable suspicion that he supported the banned group; After footage emerged of him saying “Get up Hamas, get up Hezbollah” while holding the flag on stage.

Dizkapağı had previously said that the flag was thrown on stage during their demonstration and that they “do not and have never supported Hamas or Hezbollah”.

The group, which raps about Irish identity and supports the Republican aim of uniting Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, has become increasingly vocal about the war in Gaza, especially after Ó hAnnaidh was charged in May.

During their performance at the Glastonbury Festival in England in June, Ó hAnnaidh accused Israel of committing war crimes after Kneecap displayed pro-Palestinian messages during their set at the Coachella Festival in California in April.

Kneecaps have since been banned in Hungary and Canada, and a tour of the United States was also canceled due to a dispute with Ó hAnnaidh appearing in court.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Gareth Jones)