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Rich Peppiatt, Naoise ó Cairealláin, DJ Provaí, and Mo Chara from Kneecap arrived at the Britain Independent Film Awards in London on December 8, 2024.Thomas Krych/The Canadian Press
On Wednesday, British authorities charged a member of the Irish hip-hop collective Kneecap with a terrorism-related offence, following allegations that he displayed a Hezbollah flag during a performance.
The Metropolitan Police reported that 27-year-old Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh faces charges under the Terrorism Act for exhibiting a flag supporting a banned organization. The incident reportedly took place at the Kentish Town Forum, a venue in London, on November 21, 2024.
Authorities indicated that the musician, known by his stage name Mo Chara, will appear in court on June 18, with the police using the English version of his name, Liam O’Hanna.
Earlier this month, reports surfaced that Kneecap was under investigation by counterterrorism officers after footage allegedly showed the group chanting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and inciting violence against legislators.
In response to the police inquiry, Kneecap asserted that they have “never supported Hamas or Hezbollah,” claiming that “establishment figures” have misinterpreted their comments to create “moral hysteria.”
The trio from Belfast has received acclaim for revitalizing the Irish-language cultural scene in Northern Ireland, where the language’s status is a politically sensitive topic amidst a divided society of British unionists and Irish nationalists.
However, they have faced criticism for their explicit lyrics and references to drugs, as well as for their political declarations.
Investigations into video footage from another Kneecap concert held in November 2023 are still ongoing.
Due to the ongoing controversy, several Kneecap performances have been canceled, and some British lawmakers are urging the organizers of next month’s Glastonbury Festival to withdraw their scheduled appearance.
Before the release of a vibrant feature film loosely inspired by their story, which included themes of drugs, sex, violence, politics, and humor, Kneecap was relatively unknown outside of Northern Ireland.
The band members portrayed themselves in “Kneecap,” a film that won an audience award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was shortlisted for best foreign-language feature and best original song at this year’s Academy Awards, although it did not make it to the final nominations.
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