Irish rap trio Kneecap has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately, with one of their members, Liam O’Hanna, aka Mo Chara, facing a terror charge in the UK. It’s all a bit political, according to the group, who believe the charge is an attempt to silence them. The alleged offense? Displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig in London back in November. O’Hanna, a 27-year-old from Belfast, is set to appear in court on June 18 to defend himself against the accusations.
The trio released a statement, claiming that while thousands of babies are starving in Gaza, the British establishment is more concerned with going after them. They vehemently deny the charges, calling it “political policing” and a distraction from real issues like genocide. The group believes that the charge is part of a larger scheme to limit their ability to travel for gigs and spread their message to young people worldwide. Despite the controversy, Kneecap is still scheduled to headline the Wide Awake Festival in London this Friday.
Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command got wind of an online video from the gig, leading to an investigation and subsequent charge by the Crown Prosecution Service. This isn’t the first time Kneecap has found themselves in hot water, as they were previously investigated for allegedly calling for the deaths of MPs and showing support for Hamas and Hezbollah. The group has apologized to the families of the MPs but insists that the footage was taken out of context and they do not support the banned organizations in the UK. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for the group to be banned, while others have pushed for them to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival lineup.
Despite the controversy surrounding Kneecap, they remain defiant and ready to fight the charges in court. They stand by their message and their support for the people, especially those suffering in Palestine. It seems like the trio is not going down without a fight, and they are determined to come out on top. Free Palestine.
