For the second time this summer, hundreds of Kneecap fans have gathered at one of the band's members goes to court for terror charges. Image: Greg Barradale/Big Issue
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Those in line waiting to get into Wesminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning could have been there for any number of reasons: perhaps using a phone while driving, criminal damage, assault, theft or speeding. A fair few were probably wondering if they’d lose their jobs or end up in prison. Some seemed utterly confused by the band playing Irish songs just metres away from the queue, some appeared to be getting into it. But then again, they weren’t the person whose name was on the placards. That was Mo Chara, a rapper with the group Kneecap.
The crowd of hundreds gathered awaiting Mo Chara – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – ahead of a second hearing over a terror charge, accused of allegedly displaying a flag in support of a terrorist organisation during a gig at the O2 Kentish Town Forum in November 2024.
Such was the level of interest after massive crowds at an initial hearing in June, the Metropolitan Police put public order conditions on the protest, limiting it to a defined area outside the court, with a stage in the middle.
Ó hAnnaidh and his bandmates arrived almost like a black hole – visible mainly because of the chaos surrounding them, a bundle of photographers, fans and noise. As Ó hAnnaidh, wearing a keffiyeh, cap and sunglasses, walked through the doors of the court, supporters strained to see through the glass doors.
On that Wednesday, 20 August, his legal team was trying to argue the Crown Prosecution Service brought the terrorism charge a day too late, and so it must be thrown out. It proved inconclusive, with the judge’s decision put off and a further hearing set for 26 September.
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But for the crowds outside, was the day about music or the wider Palestinian cause?
Fans held placards and listened to speeches as legal arguments took place inside. Image: Greg Barradale/Big Issue
“For me, Kneecap created a community for me to talk about these issues, and meet other people about these issues. I’m not coming here today necessarily just for Mo Chara, they’re just a vessel for these issues,” said Roísín, a teacher, who said Sam Fender had also raised her awareness of the situation in Gaza. “I just think music is such a way into these issues.”
She added: “The main reason for being here is I want to use my voice for what’s going on in Gaza.”
Prosecutors allege Ó hAnnaidh displayed the flag of Hezbollah on stage and said “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” during the 2024 gig, which amounted to support of a proscribed organisation. The band subsequently released a statement saying “we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah”. In an interview from June, Ó hAnnaidh added: “It’s a joke. I’m a character. Shit is thrown on stage all the time.”
But the legal argument being put forward by Ó hAnnaidh’s star-studded legal team was more technical than “it was a fucking joke, your honour”. Instead, they argued that prosecutors missed the six month deadline to formally bring charges – by a single day.
In between the last court date and now, Kneecap have played Glastonbury – where they proved not to be the most controversial act at the festival – as well as shows including 40,000 people at Finsbury Park, and been banned from Hungary at the behest of Viktor Orbán. The proscription of Palestine Action, meanwhile, has since seen hundreds arrested for offences similar to those levelled at Ó hAnnaidh.
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Kashi Gill and Yvonne Gribben both saw the court case as an extension of Irish artists and voices being suppressed. Image: Greg Barradale/Big Issue
“Why I’m here today is because I think Palestine and Ireland are very, very interlinked because of Balfour’s model of how they partitioned both countries,” said Yvonne Gribben. “I think Kneecap are being vilified, and always have been vilified, by the British media, because they’re cheeky fellas from Belfast and Derry who actually have a love and an understanding of their culture, their heritage and their language.”
Gribben, who is Irish but lives in London, added: “I think it has echoes of when Gerry Adams and the other political parties in the north of Ireland – whether you call them terrorists or not – were silenced in this country. They were dubbed over, it was farcical. This is absolutely farcical.”
The Met refused to explain any further why it expected disorder, though the previous court date, back in June, saw tensions briefly rise after a counter-protester draped in an Israel flag made his way into the crowd. As it turned out, Wednesday’s protest was smaller and more downbeat – though still sizeable.
A heavy police presence accompanied the protest, after the Met Police imposed Public Order conditions. Image: Greg Barradale/Big Issue
On social media, the band branded the conditions an attempt to “portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome”, urging fans to comply with all conditions “irrespective of how pitiful”.
Among speakers and the crowd, the charge against Ó hAnnaidh was widely portrayed as politically motivated, an establishment attempt to silence dissent.
“The far right likes to hijack the concept of free speech without an adequate understanding of what it means, and use it to justify hate speech,” said protester Kashi Gill. “But I think in this instance, we’re seeing absurd allegations made against artists as a way of suppressing their stance to oppose genocide.”
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As the crowd waited for Ó hAnnaidh to reappear, listening to speeches and music, they parted to let an ambulance past. One woman fell to the ground as time went on, escorted out by police officers – who were not in short supply.
“The fact that the Met Police put the public order [conditions] on this, it shows their priorities are all wrong. You only have to go to the last court appearance of Mo Chara to see it’s all peaceful,” said one protester, named Colm.
“There’s a reason why so many people are here today. It’s not because they just said overnight ‘come on down’. This has been years of messaging, and years of the top not listening.”
A further hearing will take place on 26 September. Image: Greg Barradale/Big Issue
In the end, no decision was reached by a judge and the case – which began in May – will continue until at least 26 September. Outside court, Ó hAnnaidh told the crowd: “This is a distraction from the real story. We know that unfortunately this story will end in the media today while Israel commits genocide at the same time.”
His words were echoed by Louis, at the protest to celebrate his 21st birthday: “At this moment it’s a privilege to turn 21. Being able to celebrate that is a big ask on the [Gaza] strip and the West Bank. I’m a big fan of Kneecap, but that’s secondary to the Palestinian liberation movement. The real story is the limbless and starving children and people in occupied Palestine.”
