Mo Chara, the frontman of anti-Israel rap trio Kneecap, has been released on unconditional bail after an initial hearing over a charge brought against him by counter-terror police.
The rapper, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, is accused of displaying an article in support of a proscribed organisation after he was allegedly filmed draped in a Hezbollah flag and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” during a gig in London last November.
During the hearing at Westminister Magistrates’ Court this morning, prosecutor Michael Bisgrove emphasised the case was “not about Mr Ó hAnnaidh, support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel” and that the he was “well within his rights” to advocate for Palestine.
However, Ó hAnnaidh’s defence counsel, Brenda Campbell KC, argued that the court did not have jurisdiction over the case and claimed that the charge was invalid as it was brought more than six months after the alleged offence, something which the prosecution contests.
