Kneecap say terror charge is bid to 'silence' them

Irish rap trio Kneecap person branded the charging of 1 of their members with a panic offence successful the UK arsenic "political policing" successful a bid to "silence voices of compassion".

Liam Og O hAannaidh has been charged implicit the alleged displaying of a emblem successful enactment of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation, astatine a gig astatine the O2 Forum successful Kentish Town, London, connected 21 November.

The 27-year-old from Belfast successful Northern Ireland - who performs nether the signifier sanction Mo Chara - is owed to look astatine Westminster Magistrates' Court connected 18 June.

In a connection connected X, the radical said: "14,000 babies are astir to dice of starvation successful Gaza, with nutrient sent by the satellite sitting connected the different broadside of a wall, and erstwhile again the British constitution is focused connected us."

The UN has since clarified the wide reported claim, saying an estimated 14,000 babies are successful information of acute malnutrition betwixt April 2025 and March 2026 - wrong a year, not 48 hours.

The radical added: "We contradict this 'offence' and volition vehemently support ourselves. This is governmental policing. This is simply a carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is.

"As they nett from genocide, they usage an 'anti-terror law' against america for displaying a emblem thrown connected stage.

"A complaint not superior capable to adjacent warrant their crown court, alternatively a tribunal that doesn't person a jury. What's the objective?

"To restrict our quality to travel. To forestall america speaking to young radical crossed the world. To soundlessness voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who situation talk out.

"Instead of defending guiltless people, oregon the principles of planetary instrumentality they assertion to uphold, the almighty successful Britain person abetted slaughter and famine successful Gaza, conscionable arsenic they did successful Ireland for centuries.

"Then, similar now, they assertion justification.

"The IDF units they limb and alert spy level missions for are the existent terrorists, the full satellite tin spot it.

"We basal proudly with the people. You basal complicit with the warfare criminals. We are connected the close broadside of history. You are not.

"We volition combat you successful court. We volition win. Free Palestine."

Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command were made alert of a video circulating online connected 22 April, the unit said.

An probe led to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorising the charge.

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Kneecap apologised past period to the families of murdered MPs aft videos emerged allegedly showing the set calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah".

The radical said footage of the incidental had been "exploited and weaponised", adding they person "never supported" Hamas oregon Hezbollah, which are banned successful the UK.

The incidental led to gigs being cancelled and calls for the set to beryllium dropped from the Glastonbury Festival and TRNSMT line-ups.

The trio are owed to header Wide Awake Festival successful southbound London connected Friday.

In an interrogation connected Thursday morning, Ireland's lawman premier said Hezbollah oregon Hamas should not beryllium conflated with the origin of the Palestinian people.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said: "To instrumentality Hamas first, Hamas is simply a despicable violent organisation. It carried retired a brutal violent onslaught successful Israel that has been condemned by Ireland and each right-thinking people.

"They connection the radical of Palestine nary aboriginal of anticipation oregon positivity. They shouldn't beryllium successful immoderate way, signifier oregon signifier fixed immoderate succour - and aren't - by Ireland.

"When it comes to Hezbollah, I'm besides the curate for defence successful this country. We're warring regular for justness for Private Sean Rooney. Hezbollah, again, is an amerciable violent organisation that person brought pain, suffering and decease to Irish peacekeepers."