Kneecap Rapper’s Terror Case Thrown Out of Court

Kneecap had a panic complaint thrown retired of tribunal connected Friday (Sept. 26) successful a legal triumph for the Irish rap trio.

Rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs nether the sanction Mo Chara, had been charged with a coercion discourtesy for allegedly showing enactment for Hezbollah, a radical proscribed violent presumption by the U.K. government.

But astatine Woolwich Crown Court connected Friday, the justice presiding implicit the lawsuit dismissed the complaint owed to a method mistake successful the mode the charges were brought by London’s Metropolitan Police (via Sky News). Ó hAnnaidh had ever denied immoderate wrongdoing successful the case, and had been granted unconditional bail since June.

The incidental occurred successful November 2024 astatine a performance astatine London’s Kentish Town Forum. Video footage from the amusement appeared to amusement Ó hAnnaidh displaying a emblem associated with Hezbollah, and helium was subsequently charged with an coercion offence successful May.

In August, ineligible arguments by Ó hAnnaidh’s squad questioned whether the complaint was brought wrong the six-month clip limit. His defence squad argued that the lawsuit should beryllium thrown out. Ó hAnnaidh claimed that the charges were politically motivated, and linked the lawsuit to the band’s longstanding enactment for the radical of Palestine. 

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, the justice presiding implicit the case, said that “proceedings against the suspect were instituted unlawfully and are null.” Following the ruling, the justice said, “Mr O hAnnaidh, you are escaped to go,” which was met by cheers and applause successful the nationalist gallery. The tribunal was told: “You tin bash your celebrating outside, but the tribunal present has different concern to be to.” The justice commented that the determination was not a ruling connected his innocence oregon guilt, but the method mistake successful bringing the case.

Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert wrote connected societal media, “We person won. Liam Óg is simply a escaped man. We said we would combat them and win. We did (Twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions successful ANY country, EVER. Political policing has failed. Kneecap is connected the close broadside of history. Britain is not.”

The Northern Irish hip-hop trio released their breakthrough medium Fine Art in 2024 alongside a self-titled biopic which saw critic...