On September 26, 2025, a London courtroom erupted in applause as Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring declared terrorism charges against Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, better known as Mo Chara from the Irish rap group Kneecap, to be both "unlawful" and "null." The ruling came after prosecutors missed the statutory six-month deadline to file the charge by a single day, a technical error that brought an abrupt end to a case that had become a flashpoint for debates over free speech, political protest, and the boundaries of artistic expression.
Mo Chara, 27, was facing allegations of supporting a terrorist organization after he was seen draped in a Hezbollah flag during a Kneecap concert at London’s O2 Forum in Kentish Town in November 2024. Under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000, supporting a group designated as terrorist by the British government is a serious offense, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years. The charge stemmed from audience videos that appeared to show Mo Chara chanting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” on stage, a moment that quickly traveled across social media and ignited controversy on both sides of the Irish Sea, as reported by the BBC and Sky News.
Yet, as Goldspring made clear, the law is the law. “These proceedings were instituted unlawfully and are null,” he told the court, emphasizing that Mo Chara was not charged until May 22, 2025—one day past the six-month statute of limitations. “This court has no jurisdiction to try the charge,” Goldspring added, according to AP. The courtroom’s public gallery burst into cheers, with Mo Chara smiling and giving a thumbs-up to his supporters.
The prosecution, caught flat-footed by the procedural misstep, stated it is “reviewing the decision of the court carefully” and left the door open to a possible appeal. Meanwhile, London’s Metropolitan Police said it would “work with the prosecutors to understand the potential implications of this ruling for us and how that might impact on the processing of such cases in the future.”
Outside the courthouse, Mo Chara delivered a defiant statement that underscored the political tensions at the heart of the case. “This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public, and never about ‘terrorism,’ a word used by your government to discredit people you oppress,” he declared, in remarks reported by Rolling Stone and BBC. “It was always about Gaza. About what happens if you dare to speak up. As people from Ireland we know oppression, colonialism, famine, and genocide. We have suffered and still suffer under ‘your empire.’ Your attempts to silence us have failed, because we are right, and you are wrong. We will not be silent. We said we would fight you in your court and we would win. We have. If anyone on this planet is guilty of terrorism, it is the British state.”
The Belfast-based Kneecap—comprised of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí—has built a reputation for provocative lyrics and performances that fuse English and Irish, mixing themes of working-class life, Irish reunification, and pointed political critique. The group has long been a lightning rod for controversy, facing criticism for statements perceived as glorifying groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which are designated as terrorist organizations by the UK, Canada, and other countries. Kneecap, however, insists that their art is about giving voice to the oppressed, not inciting violence. “We don’t support Hezbollah or Hamas, nor do we condone violence,” the trio has stated repeatedly, as noted by AP and Sky News.
The band’s outspoken support for Palestine—particularly during Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza—has drawn both passionate support and fierce condemnation. Their April 2025 performance at Coachella in California, where they displayed messages accusing Israel of genocide and the United States of supporting it, led to further scrutiny. In the wake of that show, English authorities launched a review of concert footage, eventually leading to the now-dismissed charge against Mo Chara.
Kneecap’s manager, Daniel Lambert, hailed the court’s decision as a moral victory, declaring online, “We have won! Liam Óg is a free man … Kneecap is on the right side of history. Britain is not. Free Palestine.” The group maintains that the prosecution was politically motivated, aimed at silencing their pro-Palestinian message. “We will not be silent,” Mo Chara reaffirmed to supporters gathered outside the courthouse.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill echoed these sentiments, characterizing the charges as “a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.” She added, “Kneecap have used their platform on stages across the world to expose this genocide, and it is the responsibility of all of us to continue speaking out and standing against injustice in Palestine.”
But the fallout from the case has been far-reaching. Because of the proximity of the hearing to Kneecap’s planned U.S. tour, the band was forced to cancel all 15 sold-out American shows, disappointing thousands of fans. Their attempts to play in Canada were also thwarted, as parliamentary secretary for combating crime Vince Gasparro MP barred the group from entering the country, citing their alleged “amplified political violence and public support for organizations designated as terrorist groups in Canada, such as Hezbollah and Hamas.” Kneecap has promised to pursue legal action against Gasparro, but for now, they are offering a one-off livestream concert for their U.S. audience on October 10, 2025.
Controversy continues to swirl around the band. In Australia, police are investigating after the severed head of a King George V statue was brought on stage during a live show earlier this year. In Britain, the group was previously denied an arts grant under the Conservative government, a decision that was later overturned after the Labour Party’s victory and Keir Starmer’s rise to Prime Minister. Even the BBC has limited coverage of Kneecap’s performances, refusing to livestream their Glastonbury 2025 set and only offering it on demand, despite pressure from political leaders to drop the band from the festival lineup—a request that organizers ultimately ignored.
Despite the legal victory and the support from prominent political figures, Kneecap’s future remains uncertain. The Crown Prosecution Service is still weighing an appeal, and London’s Metropolitan Police are assessing how this ruling might affect similar cases in the future. Meanwhile, the band’s commitment to political activism and boundary-pushing art shows no sign of abating. Their recent foray into film—starring as themselves in the feature Kneecap, which won an audience award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was shortlisted for Academy Award nominations—has only amplified their platform.
For now, Mo Chara is a free man, and Kneecap’s message rings out louder than ever. Whether that message is seen as a rallying cry for justice or a provocation too far depends, as always, on where you stand.
