Mo Chara, one of the three members of the Irish rap group Kneecap, has been charged with a terror offense for allegedly displaying the Hezbollah flag during a concert, BBC News reports. The incident occurred during a concert at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town in November 2024, and footage of it began to circulate more widely following Kneecap’s Coachella performance, which included pro-Palestine and anti-Israel messages.
The footage appears to show Mo Chara draped in the flag of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militant group that has been designated a terrorist group by the United Kingdom since 2019. Chara also appears to shout, “Up Hamas! Up Hezbollah!” (Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that governs the Gaza Strip, is also designated a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom.) As footage circulated, London’s Metropolitan Police announced it would investigate the online videos, as it is illegal, in the United Kingdom, to show support publicly for Hezbollah and Hamas.
Following the launch of the investigation, Kneecap said in a statement: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay.”
According to BBC News, Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, is due in court on Wednesday, June 18. When reached by Pitchfork, a representative for Kneecap said that band had no comment.
Kneecap, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, released their first project, 3CAG, in 2018. Their latest album, Fine Art, arrived in 2024, the same year as the biographical film Kneecap. Joining Mo Chara in Kneecap are Naoise “Móglaí Bap” Ó Caireallain and JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh.
For years, Kneecap have used their platform to show support for Palestine and the Palestinian people. They have been particularly vocal as the Israeli military continues its attacks on Gaza.
