The Irish singer Mo Chara is accused of having sported a flag of the Hezbollah movement during a concert. He is also criticized for having shouted “Go Hamas!” Go the Hezbollah! ”.
Rapper Mo Chara of the North Irish trio Kneecap, accused of having sported a flag of the Hezbollah movement during a concert, appears on Wednesday before a London court for “terrorist offense”. Liam Og O Hannaidh -Son A real name in Gaelic-was charged on May 21 for having covered himself with a flag of the Pro-Iranian Lebanese Islamist movement, classified terrorist in the United Kingdom, during a group concert in London on November 21, 2024. He is also criticized for having shouted “Go Hamas!” Go the Hezbollah! ”.
The 27 -year -old rapper must appear before the Westminster court (short magistrates) at 10:00 am local time (9:00 am GMT). The group has always denied any support for Hezbollah, denouncing a “political” decision. “Mo Chara will be back in the Westminster judicial court, while the British government continues to be a diversion”, wrote the group from Belfast on Tuesday on its X account, criticizing Israel. He invited his supporters to come on Wednesday in court.
Read too
“Any overflow will be judiciary”: Bruno Retailleau warns Kneecap before their visit to Rock en Seine
Pass advertising
Provocateurs
In mid-June, during a first hearing, the rapper’s lawyers claimed that his indictment had taken place outside the legal period of six months. The case was then postponed to the end of August and this point was to be examined on Wednesday. A daring provocateurs for their fans, extremists dangerous for their detractors, the members of the group have attracted media and political attention in recent months to the United Kingdom. In question: virulent statements against Israel and war in the Gaza Strip. This war was launched after Hamas’ unprecedented attack in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Despite pressing calls from elected conservatives to deprogram the group of the prestigious Glastonbury festival at the end of June, he was able to perform there, persisting in his criticisms against Israel. Kneecap was however forbidden to enter Hungary at the end of July, where he was to give concert. The arrival of the North Irish trio on the occasion of the Rock en Seine festival on Sunday, August 24, is the subject of very supervision.
During the hearing in mid-June, the prosecutor Michael Bisgrove assured that “this case does not relate to the support of Mr. O’Hanna to the Palestinian people, nor to his criticism of Israel”. Hundreds of fans had gathered near the court, in support.
The North Irish trio reached notoriety in 2024 with his album Fine Art and a survived docu-fiction, Kneecap. Awarded in particular at the Film of Sundance, in the United States, this film was released in France in June. Founded in 2017, Kneecap defends the reunification of Ireland and considers its language as an “anti -colonial” cry in the face of British power.
The name of the group itself comes from the practice of the paramilitary groups that drove their victims at the knees during the North Irish conflict.