Kneecap rapper due in London court on terror charge over Hezbollah flag

A member of the provocative Irish rap group Kneecap, charged with a terror offense for allegedly showing support for Hezbollah, is due to appear in a London court today.

Liam O’Hanna, 27, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged last month after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert last November. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Footage from the concert appeared to show the band member shouting, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.”

Hezbollah and Hamas are banned in the UK and it is an offense to show support for the Iran-backed terror groups.

Kneecap, which has recently grabbed headlines for brazen statements against Israel and denouncing the war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, has denied the charge and called for fans to show up outside the court and support the singer.

The punk-rap group has also claimed that the video, which led to the charge, was taken out of context.

UK police have also said it was examining a video clip of the Belfast rap trio at a 2023 gig, appearing to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”

In February, the band posted a photo on social media of a balaclava-wearing individual, also apparently a group member, reading a book of statements by slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.