By Sam Tobin

Item 1 of 5 Member of Kneecap Liam O’Hanna, also known as Liam Og O hAnnaidh and performing under the name of Mo Chara, who has been charged with a terrorism offence in relation to the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag onstage in 2024, walks outside the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in London, Britain, August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

[1/5] Member of Kneecap Liam O’Hanna, also known as Liam Og O hAnnaidh and performing under the name of Mo Chara, who has been charged with a terrorism offence in relation to the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag onstage in 2024, walks outside the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in London, Britain,… Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Read more

LONDON, Aug 20 (Reuters) – Hundreds of fans turned out to support a member of Irish rap group Kneecap on Wednesday at a London court as he sought to throw out a terrorism charge for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who was initially charged under the Anglicised name Liam O’Hanna and whose stage name is Mo Chara, is alleged to have waved the yellow flag of Hezbollah during a Kneecap gig in London on November 21, 2024.

Ó hAnnaidh is accused of holding up the flag on stage while saying “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. Kneecap have said the flag was thrown on stage during their performance.

The 27-year-old was charged in May under the Terrorism Act, which makes it a criminal offence to display an article in a way which arouses reasonable suspicion that someone is a supporter of a proscribed organisation.

Ó hAnnaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday wearing the keffiyeh scarf associated with the Palestinian cause and had to fight his way through a scrum of photographers to get inside the building.

He sat alongside an Irish language interpreter during the hearing and his bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin, stage name Móglaí Bap, and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, who goes by DJ Próvaí, were also in court, with supporters filling the public gallery.

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Irish music was played outside the court throughout the hearing, with many supporters waving Irish and Palestinian flags while others held placards reading “Free Mo Chara”.

Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyers say the charge was brought too late and the prosecution case should be thrown out, as Ó hAnnaidh was formally charged on May 22 this year, one day after the six-month limit for such charges.

Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove, however, argued that Ó hAnnaidh was charged on May 21, within the time limit. Judge Paul Goldspring said he would give a decision on September 26.

Ó hAnnaidh left the court to cheers from supporters, telling the crowd the charge against him was “a distraction from the real story” of Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories.

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