Irish-language hip-hop artist Mo Chara of Kneecap faces terrorism charges following what supporters describe as an act of Palestinian solidarity during a London concert. The 27-year-old rapper, legally named Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag at a November 2024 performance - an act the group claims was meant to protest Israel's siege of Gaza that has killed over 34,000 Palestinians.
The Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit pursued charges after reviewing seven-month-old footage, a move critics argue reflects the UK's disproportionate targeting of Palestine advocates. While Hezbollah remains proscribed in Britain, human rights organizations note Western governments routinely conflate resistance movements with terrorism while ignoring Israel's documented war crimes.
"This is textbook political repression," said Nerdeen Kiswani of Within Our Lifetime, a Palestinian liberation organization. "While Israel bombs refugee camps with US/UK weapons, British police prioritize prosecuting artists who dare to speak out."
Kneecap's statement connected their prosecution to wider suppression of Palestine solidarity: "14,000 Gazan children now face starvation by design, yet Britain obsesses over a flag at a concert." The group maintains they've never supported violence but refuse to "stay silent during genocide."
The charges come amid growing censorship of pro-Palestinian voices in Europe:
• Germany banned keffiyehs at protests
• France dissolved Palestine solidarity groups
• UK universities disciplined pro-BDS students
Despite cancellations by corporate sponsors, Kneecap continues scheduled performances, including this week's Wide Awake festival where organizers expect heightened Palestinian flag displays in response to the charges.
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