Rap Trio Kneecap Promises Legal Fight Over Terrorism Charge
Kneecap declared they will “vehemently defend” themselves after member Mo Chara, 27, was hit with a terrorism charge in London tied to a flag allegedly supporting Hezbollah during a November 2024 show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town.
The Irish Hip-Hop group responded to the charge on social media, accusing the British government of targeting them instead of addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We deny this ‘offense’ and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story,” they wrote. “We are on the right side of history. You are not. We will fight you in court. We will win.”
Mo Chara is set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (June 18).
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the charge stems from a video that surfaced online showing the group allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during the November concert.
According to BBC News, authorities were alerted to the footage on April 22, and the Crown Prosecution Service later approved the charge.
The trio, Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí—have faced mounting scrutiny over their politically charged performances. The Met previously launched an investigation into videos showing them chanting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and calling for violence against British lawmakers.
The group denied supporting any proscribed organizations and claimed the footage was misrepresented.
Several of their shows were canceled following the controversy, including fallout from their Coachella performance in California, where they displayed messages referencing the Israel-Hamas war.
Formed in 2017, Kneecap gained wider recognition with their semi-autobiographical film Kneecap, which won a BAFTA in February.