A member of the Irish rap group Kneecap was accused of “terrorism” in the United Kingdom for allegedly waving the Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November 2024.
British police announced on Wednesday that Liam O’Hanna, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, will appear in court on June 18 and is facing charges of terrorism.
Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023-led Hamas attacks and Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, Kneecap has been vocal in its support for the Palestinian cause, comparing struggles of the Irish and Palestinians under Israeli rule.
Pro-Palestinian chants are a regular feature at their shows. The band claims that their blatant condemnation of Israel’s genocidal war has drawn criticism.
KNEECAP DISCRETION:
We have been the target of a coordinated smear campaign since our statements at Coachella, which exposed the ongoing genocide against Palestinians.
We have used our shows to expose the complicity of the British and Irish governments in war crimes for more than a year. … pic. twitter.com/mBojb5QBOP
The Belfast trio is also well known for its satirical and political lyrics and use of symbolism in reference to the Irish Republican movement, which seeks to unite Northern Ireland, which is currently a part of the UK, with the Republic of Ireland.
During “The Troubles,” which included the Irish Republican Army (IRA), pro-British Loyalist militias, and UK security forces, more than 3,600 people were killed.
The term “kneecap” comes from a brutal punishment that paramilitary groups carried out on informers and drug dealers that involved being shot in the kneecaps.
The Irish-language cultural scene in Northern Ireland, where the status of the language is still a contentious political issue in a divided society between Protestant British Unionists and Catholic Irish Nationalists, has received praise from the band.
Additionally, its lyrics, which are full of expletives and drug references, have received criticism.
Kneecap’s performance at the California music festival Coachella attracted a lot of attention and criticism last month when they projected the words “F*** Israel.” Palestine that is free. on the ground.
“We were never bombed from the f****** skies with nowhere to go,” says one Brit who persecuted the Irish not very long ago. The Palestinians are bombing their home from the sky because they are unable to leave. What the hell are you calling it if you’re not referring to it as a genocide? read the Mo Chara projections.
Kneecap was brought under fresh scrutiny at the start of this month when UK intelligence announced that it would look into rap group comments regarding UK and Middle Eastern politics.
The band member said, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory,” according to footage from a 2024 concert. Your neighborhood politician should be dead. A member of the trio reportedly shouts “Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah” during a 2023 promotional video from another concert, which the UK views as “terrorist” organizations.
In response to the band’s criticism of Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza, Kneecap claimed it had “never supported Hamas or Hezbollah” and accused “establishment figures” of fabricating moral nonsense.
Source: Aljazeera
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