Kneecap’s Mo Chara Launched on Bail Over Fear Charge, Hearing Date Set

Kneecap’s Mo Chara appeared at Westminster’s Magistrates Court on Wednesday (June 18) in relation to a supposed fear offense.

In Might, the MC (born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) was charged for supposedly revealing assistance for militant companies Hamas and Hezbollah– both of which are specified as fear groups by U.K. law– in freshly appeared videos from a previous performance. The video appeared to reveal Chara screaming “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and showing a Hezbollah flag at a program in London in November 2024.

Throughout the hearing, Mo Chara spoke just to validate his name. The Press Association reports that Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, commanding the case, launched him on genuine bail and set a hearing date of Aug. 20. Mr Goldspring stated that the 27-year-old need to participate in court on that day. District attorney Michael Bisgrove informed the court: “This case is not about Mr hAnnaidh’s assistance for individuals of Palestine or his criticism of Israel.” (by means of The Irish News)

Advocates supporting the group existed at the court’s entryway, with the band and its label Divine motivating fans to participate in.

The Belfast trio, comprised of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí got here to court using “Free Mo Chara” tee shirts. In the accumulation to the lawsuit, Kneecap had actually “plastered” London with signboards with the message ‘More Blacks, More Canines, More Irish, Mo Chara,’ in referral to the prejudiced motto that existed at some London bars in the 1950s and ’60s.

Speaking on their social platforms, the group called the charge “a carnival of diversion” from what they view as the genuine concern at hand: “Israel is devoting genocide versus the Palestinian individuals. It is being allowed by the U.S. federal government who equip and fund Israel in spite of their war criminal offenses.”

The group state that their pro-Palestine views have actually been weaponised versus them and declared that their creative totally free speech has actually been infringed. A variety of artists consisting of Huge Attack, Fontaines D.C., Paul Weller and IDLES signed an open letter backing the trio. On Monday, The Smiths’ guitar player Johnny Marr shared a declaration revealing assistance for Kneecap, and required them to stay on the costs at Glastonbury Celebration next week (June 27-29) in spite of require a boycott.

The Northern Irish hip-hop trio launched their advancement album Art in 2024 along with a self-titled biopic which saw important honor, and was chosen for an Academy Award along with winning a BAFTA reward.

In April 2025, the group ended their Coachella sets with a message that mentioned: “Israel is devoting genocide versus the Palestinian individuals. It is being allowed by the U.S. federal government who equip and fund Israel in spite of their war criminal offenses. F– k Israel; totally free Palestine.” A variety of market names consisting of Sharon Osbourne required them to be eliminated from the costs and their work visas to be withdrawed.

Previous videos of the band quickly started to surface area, consisting of one from November 2023 with the group supposedly stating: “The just excellent Tory is a dead Tory. Eliminate your regional MP.” Kneecap provided a declaration on the remarks, providing an apology to the households of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox; both were eliminated while standing as MPs in different events in 2021 and 2016, respectively..

” Let us be unquestionable: we do not, and have never ever, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, constantly. It is never ever all right,” the group stated. “We understand this more than anybody, provided our country’s history. We likewise turn down any idea that we would look for to prompt violence versus any MP or person. Ever. An extract of video, intentionally gotten of all context, is now being made use of and weaponised, as if it were a call to action.” The group were not charged in connection with this occurrence.

Throughout the fallout, a variety of the band’s programs were cancelled by organisers, consisting of TRNSMT in Glasgow, Scotland and the Eden Sessions in Cornwall. Kneecap revealed– and immediately offered out– makeup programs for fans in those cities.