Kneecap supporters court protest as rapper Mo Chara appears on terrorism charge
Liam O'Hanna is also known as Mo Chara and Liam Og O Hannaidh.
Liam Ó hAnnaidh: Kneecap member arrives at court
Kneecap supporters have been protesting outside court this morning, ahead of rapper Liam O'Hanna appearing in the dock to face a terrorism charge.
Protesters began to chant "free Palestine" outside court as Kneecap's Naoise O Caireallain watched on from inside. As the huge crowd gathered, O Caireallain was seen punching his fist in the air in solidarity.
Cops were forced to remove counter-protesters who has appeared among Kneecap supporters outsite London's Westminster Magistrates Court.
Pandemonium reigned as police officers were photographed ordering some away from the official pro-Mo Chara protest, which took place before the hearing The Mirror reports.
O'Hanna, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara but is also known as Liam Og O Hannaidh, is appearing in court over an incident on November 21 last year.
Mo Chara was swamped by protesters as he arrived to face his terrorism charge. Following him soon after and waving to the crowd was bandmate Naoise O Caireallain.
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O Caireallain, also known as Moglai Bap, appeared cheerful as he greeted fans and made his way through the throng of fans towards the courthouse.
The 27-year-old's appearance comes after the group were axed from their planned slot at this summer's TRNSMT Festival, in Glasgow, over police fears over safety.
He is appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court today charged after displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London.
In a statement earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police said the flag was displayed "in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation".
Rap trio Kneecap shared a joint statement days later denying the offence, claiming it was " political policing" and saying they will "vehemently defend" themselves.
The prosecution told the court the case is not about O'Hanna's support for Palestine or criticism of Israel and he has the right to voice his opinions and solidarity.
They added it deals with a video recording from last year when he wore and displayed a flag from the terrorist organisation Hezbollah.
Wearing a black tracksuit, he walked into the dock at 10.49am with his hands in his pockets before sitting down. The rest of the band and their manager walked into court behind him before entering the public gallery.
The gallery was packed with fans, including some who had flown in from around Europe, including Austria and Ireland. He gave his name as Liam O'Hanna and told the court his home address.
Paul Weller was spotted outside court to support Mo Chara this morning. The pop legend, 67, was pictured wearing a pair of shades as he stood with protesters and posed for a selfie with a fan.
Police Scotland previously said allowing the Northern Irish trio to perform at Glasgow Green on July 11 would require "a significant policing operation".
The Belfast trio were also criticised over 2023 gig footage that appeared to show a band member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."
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The Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Sun
Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action ‘terror group' T-shirt ahead of controversial Glasto set that BBC WON'T show live
CONTROVERSIAL hip hop group Kneecap have shared an image of one of its members wearing a "We Are All Palestine Action" ahead of their Glastonbury set. JJ O Dochartaigh - who often wears a balaclava in public - was seen in the snap wearing the top on X, with the caption reading: "1 hour to go..." 1 They are due to perform at 4pm on the West Holts stage. It comes after the BBC confirmed it will not be broadcasting the Irish trio's performance live following Sir Keir Starmer saying they should be banned from appearing altogether. Festival bosses, meanwhile, have already warned part of the grounds could be locked down during the group's performance this afternoon due to crowd surge concerns. Frontman Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged under the Terrorism Act after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist group Hezbollah while saying "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" during a gig in November in Kentish Town, north London. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. "Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines. "We don't always live stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets." The band themselves addressed a post on X to "a chairde Gael" - which means "Gaelic friends" in which they said they'd been contacted by the "propaganda wing of the regime". The post added: "They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure. "The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so you'll need to be very early to catch us EARLY". A festival statement released today warns: "Kneecap will draw a large audience for their 4pm West Holts show. "If you're not planning to see them, please plan alternative routes around that area. "If you do plan to attend, listen to stewards, and please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures." Earlier this month the rapper - who performs under the stage name Mo Chara - and bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh were mobbed by hundreds of fans outside Westminster Magistrates' Court. He was released on unconditional bail - and is due at the same court on August 20 for the next hearing. The group's much-anticipated appearance at Glastonbury has been criticised by PM Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Mr Starmer said this week it is "not appropriate" for the group to perform at the festival, which started on Thursday. Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, the PM said: 'No I don't. 'I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won't say too much, because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Ms Badenoch also said the BBC "should not be showing" the band's set in a post on social media. Her post said: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. "One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. "As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism." The band are not currently listed for live broadcast. Avon and Somerset Police said: "Ticket-holders can once again expect to see uniformed officers on site at Glastonbury Festival 24/7 throughout the festival as part of our extensive policing operation ensuring it is safe for everyone attending, as well as those who live nearby." In response to the charge, Kneecap said in a post: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us... 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Hezbollah - founded in 1982 - is an Iran-backed Shiite militia. The Lebanese terrorist organisation voiced support for the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 2023 before launching guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli-occupied positions the following day. Israel has retaliated with strikes on Gaza - and the conflict remains ongoing, with thousands of people, including civilian children, killed. Kneecap has said they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah", condemned all attacks on civilians, and alleged footage was "deliberately taken out of all context" as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" over their criticism of "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people".
Scottish Sun
31 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action t-shirt as band shares pic ahead of controversial Glastonbury set
'HOUR TO GO' Kneecap rapper wears Palestine Action t-shirt as band shares pic ahead of controversial Glastonbury set Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONTROVERSIAL hip hop group Kneecap have shared an image of one of its members wearing a "We Are All Palestine Action" ahead of their Glastonbury set. JJ O Dochartaigh - who often wears a balaclava in public - was seen in the snap wearing the top on X, with the caption reading: "1 hour to go..." Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Kneecap member JJ O Dochartaigh in a 'We Are All Palestine Action' t-shirt ahead of the band's Glastonbury performance Credit: Instagram They are due to perform at 4pm on the West Holts stage. It comes after the BBC confirmed it will not be broadcasting the Irish trio's performance live following Sir Keir Starmer saying they should be banned from appearing altogether. 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The band themselves addressed a post on X to "a chairde Gael" - which means "Gaelic friends" in which they said they'd been contacted by the "propaganda wing of the regime". The post added: "They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure. "The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so you'll need to be very early to catch us EARLY". A festival statement released today warns: "Kneecap will draw a large audience for their 4pm West Holts show. "If you're not planning to see them, please plan alternative routes around that area. "If you do plan to attend, listen to stewards, and please have some other entertainment options in mind in case the field reaches capacity and we need to close it as part of our crowd planning measures." Earlier this month the rapper - who performs under the stage name Mo Chara - and bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh were mobbed by hundreds of fans outside Westminster Magistrates' Court. He was released on unconditional bail - and is due at the same court on August 20 for the next hearing. The group's much-anticipated appearance at Glastonbury has been criticised by PM Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Mr Starmer said this week it is "not appropriate" for the group to perform at the festival, which started on Thursday. Asked by The Sun on Sunday if he thinks Kneecap should play, the PM said: 'No I don't. 'I think we need to come down really clearly on this. I won't say too much, because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Ms Badenoch also said the BBC "should not be showing" the band's set in a post on social media. Her post said: "The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 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'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Hezbollah - founded in 1982 - is an Iran-backed Shiite militia. The Lebanese terrorist organisation voiced support for the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 2023 before launching guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli-occupied positions the following day. Israel has retaliated with strikes on Gaza - and the conflict remains ongoing, with thousands of people, including civilian children, killed. Kneecap has said they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah", condemned all attacks on civilians, and alleged footage was "deliberately taken out of all context" as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" over their criticism of "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people".
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- Daily Mail
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Glastonbury bosses have closed the stage where controversial Irish language rap group Kneecap are set to perform today amid crowd crush fears. The rap trio were due to take to the West Holts stage at 4pm on Saturday, just over a week after one of their members appeared in court on terror charges. But some 45 minutes before their set was to start organisers were forced to shut off entry to the area surrounding the stage as it was already rammed with festivalgoers. Despite organisers deploying extra precautions to prevent crowd crushing, insiders have told MailOnline Glastonbury bosses are concerned about instances of dangerous overcrowding. To tackle the festival-wide problem of overcrowding at stages, daughter of the co-founder Emily Eavis said they had sold 'a few thousand fewer tickets' and expanded the capacity of the stages. But a source close to the festival has told MailOnline: 'Crowd crushing is still a massive concern at Glastonbury, over the weekend there are several warnings that have been issued to workers to watch out for certain areas. 'The Woodsies stage is the biggest headache because they've misjudged acts like Lola Young and Lorde so it definitely was a bit touch and go on Friday.' The controversial Irish band, Kneecap, told fans to get to their set early on their Instagram because 'The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity.' On June 18 the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Westminster Magistrates' Court in Free Mo Chara T-shirts. The group has defended their previous provocative performances as 'satirical' ahead of performing at Glastonbury, as the BBC confirmed it would not be livestreaming their set. Their performance will not be live-streamed but is likely to be made available later on iPlayer, the BBC has said. Senior Westminster politicians have criticised their participation in the popular music festival and called for them to be removed from the line-up, but festival bosses refused to do so. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think it is 'appropriate' for Kneecap to perform at Glastonbury, while Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, appeared in court last week after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. The band were also criticised following footage of a November 2023 gig allegedly showing a member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on August 20. Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, said the videos only resurfaced after Kneecap performed at Coachella in April, where they said 'F*** Israel. Free Palestine '. Mo Chara, along with bandmates Naoise Ó Caireallain (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí), have repeatedly argued controversy surrounding their performances is a distraction from the horrors endured by Palestinians amid Israel's war in Gaza. They said they are happy to lose income and clout in order to be 'on the right side of history', and said they hoped that 'being vocal and being unafraid' would encourage other bands to speak up on Palestine. Kemi Badenoch retweeted a post on X on Saturday criticising the BBC for saying it would likely put Kneecap's set on iPlayer Immediately before the set at Glastonbury on Saturday, artist Bob Vylan in the slot prior displayed a Palestine flag as he walked on stage. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'While the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines. 'We don't always live-stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.' It is understood the BBC needs to consider the performance before making a final decision. The band said on Instagram: 'The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us.... 'They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the iPlayer later this evening for your viewing pleasure.' But the group's loyal fanbase was left fuming by the news the performance would not be livestreamed. One said: 'Kneecap not going to be broadcast live from the BBC today, Jesus wept.' A second added: 'If the BBC can't broadcast #Glastonbury2025 live, as the licence fee paying public expect, then it's time to give the broadcasting rights to a provider who will. #Kneecap.' Another fan said: 'So the same BBC that gives a platform for genocide apologists every week, unchallenged by their pathetic 'reporters' will heavily edit KNEECAP'S set today and only show you what they think is relevant.' A fourth said: 'By trying to ban Kneecap all people are doing is highlighting their message. I dont like Kneecap but this Glasto/BBC charade has been pathetic.' In an interview with The Guardian newspaper ahead of Glastonbury, Ó hAnnaidh defended their performances as 'satirical'. 'It's a joke. I'm a character. Shit is thrown on stage all the time. If I'm supposed to know every f****** thing that's thrown on stage I'd be in Mensa,' he said. 'I don't know every proscribed organisation - I've got enough s**t to worry about up there. I'm thinking about my next lyric, my next joke, the next drop of a beat.' Asked about the 'dead Tory' comments, he said it was 'a joke' and 'we're playing characters'. 'It's satirical, it's a f****** joke. And that's not the point,' he said. 'The point is, that (video) wasn't an issue until we said 'Free Palestine' at Coachella. That stuff happened 18 months ago, and nobody batted an eyelid. 'Everybody agreed it was a f****** joke, even people that may have been in the room that didn't agree - it's a laugh, we're all having a bit of craic. 'The point is, and the context is, it all (resurfaced) because of Coachella. That's what we should be questioning, not whether I regret things.' Ó hAnnaidh added: 'If you believe that what a satirical band who play characters on stage do is more outrageous than the murdering of innocent Palestinians, then you need to give your head a f****** wobble.' Conservative Party leader Ms Badenoch previously said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival. She wrote in a post on X: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' Meanwhile in an interview with The Sun, Sir Keir was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' Glastonbury founder Sir Michael Eavis this week defended the decision to keep Kneecap in the line-up. Asked if the festival still stands for something, Sir Michael told Glastonbury Free Press, the festival's resident newspaper: 'Oh heaven's above, yes, of course it does. 'And I think the people that come here are into all those things. People that don't agree with the politics of the event can go somewhere else!' Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag.
