The terror charge against Kneecap's Mo Chara has been thrown out. The Irish rapper, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, was charged with a terror offense in the UK back in May, related to November 2024 footage that allegedly shows him wrapped in a Hezbollah flag onstage in London, yelling, "Up Hamas! Up Hezbollah!" The Belfast-based group had disavowed Hamas and Hezbollah in April after facing what they called "a coordinated smear campaign" in response to their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's genocide in Gaza.
Today at Woolwich Crown Court in London, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring threw out the charge against Chara on a technicality, describing it as "unlawful" and "null," the BBC reports. "I find that these proceedings were not instituted in the correct form, lacking the necessary DPP and AG (Attorney General) consent within the six-month statutory time limit," Goldspring said from the bench. Chara's defense had argued that the charge was not brought within the six-month statute of limitations.
In a message posted on Kneecap's Twitter/X account after the courtroom proceedings, Chara wrote:
A massive thank you to my legal team.
Darragh, Jude, blinne, Brenda, Gareth and to all at Phoenix law.
A special thanks also to my interpreter Susan.
This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public and never about "terrorism", a word used by your government to discredit people you oppress.
It was always about Gaza.
About what happens if you dare to speak up.
As people from Ireland we know oppression, colonialism, famine and genocide.
We have suffered and still suffer under "your empire".
Your attempts to silence us have failed, because we are right, and you are wrong.
We will not be silent.
We said we would fight you in your court and we would win.
We have.
If anyone on this planet is guilty of terrorism, it is the British state.
Free Palestine!
Tiocfaidh ár lá.
On X, Kneecap's manager Daniel Lambert added:
We have won!!!!!!
Liam Óg is a free man.
We said we would fight them and win.
We did. (Twice)
Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER.
Political policing has failed.
Kneecap is on the right side of history.
Britain is not.
Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Kneecap have continued to face repercussions for their outspoken stance on Palestine. A week ago the group was banned from Canada, with MP Vince Gasparro stating, "Canada stands firmly against hate speech, incitements to violence, and the glorification of terrorism." Kneecap announced plans to take legal action against Gasparro, writing, "Your comments about us are wholly untrue and deeply malicious. We will not accept it."
A message from Liam Óg:
"A massive thank you to my legal team.
Darragh, Jude, blinne, Brenda, Gareth and to all at Phoenix law.
A special thanks also to my interpreter Susan.
This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public and never about… pic.twitter.com/xj16kEvcdl
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) September 26, 2025
We have won!!!!!!
Liam Óg is a free man.
We said we would fight them and win.
We did. (Twice)
Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER.
Political policing has failed.
Kneecap is on the right side of history.
Britain is not.
Free Palestine 🇵🇸
— Daniel Lambert (@dlLambo) September 26, 2025
