Member of Irish rap group Kneecap has his UK terrorism prosecution thrown out

By Sam Tobin

LONDON (Reuters) -A member of Irish rap group Kneecap won his bid on Friday to throw out his terrorism prosecution for allegedly displaying a flag of Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah, with a London court ruling that the charge had been brought too late.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who was initially charged under the anglicised name Liam O'Hanna and whose stage name is Mo Chara, was accused of having waved the flag of the banned militant group Hezbollah during a Kneecap gig in London in November 2024.

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

After a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Judge Paul Goldspring ruled that Ó hAnnaidh had been charged after the six-month limit to bring such a charge, which can only be dealt with by the magistrates' court.

"The charge is unlawful and null and this court has no jurisdiction to try the charge," the judge said to cheers from the public gallery.

Ó hAnnaidh had appeared at Woolwich Crown Court to hear the ruling, which was celebrated by dozens of his supporters and his bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin, stage name Móglaí Bap, and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, who goes by DJ Próvaí.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill also welcomed the ruling, saying in a post on X: "These charges were part of a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza."

Israel strongly denies committing genocide in its war in Gaza, which began after Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza on October 7, 2023.

"This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public, never about terrorism," Ó hAnnaidh said outside court.

"It was all about Gaza, about what happens if you dare to speak up," he added.

Belfast-based Kneecap, who rap in Irish and English and regularly display pro-Palestine messages during their gigs, previously said the flag had been thrown on stage and described the charge as an attempt to silence them.

The group last month announced it had cancelled its 15-date U.S. tour scheduled for October as a result of the case.

(Reporting by Sam TobinEditing by William James and Gareth Jones)