Kneecap rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, higher identified by his stage identify Mo Chara, walked out of courtroom at present, clad in Keffiyeh, after showing on a terrorism cost in Central London, to the rapturous cheers of over a thousand followers and pro-Palestinian supporters.
(Louder Than Wars on-the-spot reporter Phil Ross was in courtroom this morning…)
Ó hAnnaidh who sat alone behind a glass display within the dock, whereas his bandmates Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí together with administration workforce sat within the public gallery surrounded by household, buddies and supporters, a lot of whom had travelled from Belfast.
The prosecution have been at pains to say that the case at present was not about Ó hAnnaidh’s opinions or his proper to precise these opinions, however “a couple of wholly totally different factor, his obvious help of a proscribed organisation”. Ó hAnnaidh who denies supporting any proscribed organisation, asserts that the costs are an try and silence the band’s criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
This morning in courtroom, his defence sought to have the case dismissed outright, on the idea that the costs have been introduced exterior the 6 month time restrict. The alleged offence occurred on the twenty first November 2024 on the band’s Discussion board present in Kentish City, the place he allegedly waved a flag in help of Hezbollah.
Metropolitan Police have been made conscious of the alleged incident following a media backlash in opposition to the band’s pro-Palestinian stance at Coachella Competition in California on twenty second April. US laws has made help for Palestine more and more troublesome over current years, and prone to result in fines, imprisonment or deportation.
Kneecap parted firm with Impartial Artist Group (IAG) who sponsored their work visas. TV persona Sharon Osbourne was significantly vocal in demanding the band’s US visas have been revoked. The backlash in opposition to them was spearheaded by Zionist organisation Artistic Neighborhood for Peace (CCFP), a physique with deep ties within the leisure business and Based by David Renzer, former head of Common Music Publishing and husband of Esther Renzer, co-founder of the pro-Israel foyer group StandWithUs.
In the present day’s courtroom look underneath prices introduced by the Met Police Counter Terrorist Unit on twenty second Could is the end result of the backlash to this point. Ó hAnnaidh was bailed unconditionally till twentieth August by chief Justice of the Peace Paul Goldspring who requested if an Irish interpreter can be needed. His defence barrister replied that she thought “he’ll handle in English”. The Justice of the Peace went on to put aside a two hour session to establish the time-line of ‘alleged offence to prices being introduced’, to hearken to skeleton arguments, and advised Ó hAnnaidh that he should attend courtroom in individual on that day.
On leaving courtroom, Kneecap have been ushered by stewards from Cease the Warfare by means of a heaving crowd that blocked the doorway. They took to a makeshift stage adjoining the courtroom, the place Irish musicians had performed all through the morning. To large cheers, and calls of ‘Free Free Palestine’, a member of the band’s authorized workforce advised media and supporters that fifty one folks had been shot ready for meals this morning in Gaza and that “Oppression fears freedom of expression. Kneecap will get up for the liberty of expression for artists and folks all over the world”.
Amidst scenes of chaos, euphoria, and honking visitors, the Irish trio have been escorted to autos and pushed away, leaving a pavement carnival behind them.
Phrases and images by Phil Ross. Extra writing by Phil could be discovered at his Louder Than Warfare writer’s archive.
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