KNEECAP member Mo Chara has said the British Government’s efforts to take him to trial were ‘always about Palestine’ after the High Court threw out the case.
Speaking after the ruling, Mo Chara — real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh — said the action was an attempt by authorities to silence and discredit him while British government ministers are ‘arming and assisting a genocide in Gaza’.
“We said we would fight you in your court and we would win,” said Mo Chara. “We have — three times now.”
Mo Chara was originally charged in May 2025 with allegedly showing support for a terrorist organisation by displaying a Hezbollah flag during a gig in London in November 2024.
The case was thrown out in September 2025 after the Crown Court ruled the charges had been brought more than six months after the alleged offence.
The British Government appealed the decision but it was dismissed today by the High Court.
The ruling from Lord Justice Edis and Mr Justice Linden stated that the judge in last September’s case was right to rule that he had no jurisdiction to try the alleged offence.
‘Yet again Britain was wrong’
Speaking at a press conference following today’s ruling, Mo Chara described the British Government’s attempts to prosecute him as hypocritical.
“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, both in Ireland and across the world,” he said.
“It was always about Palestine; about what happens if you dare to speak up; about what happens if you can reach large groups of people and expose their hypocrisy; about the lengths that Britain will go to cover up Israeli and US war crimes.”
He added: “The pathetic thing about this whole process is that you falsely tried to label me a terrorist when it is the British government ministers that are arming and assisting a genocide in Gaza, the destruction in Lebanon and the senseless slaughter of school kids in Iran.
“Free Palestine, free the six counties, tiocfaidh ár lá.”
Mo Chara (third from right) said he was punished for daring to speak up in support of Palestine (Image: Charles McQuillan / Getty Images)Mo Chara said that both he had the band would continue to speak up for people around the world who are being oppressed.
“As people from Ireland, we know oppression, colonialism, famine and genocide,” he said.
“As people from the North of Ireland, we know it even more. As people from West Belfast, it still affects our communities and our families. We have suffered greatly and we still suffer under British occupation, an occupation built to dehumanise, an occupation built to divide.
“Your attempt to label me a terrorist failed because I was right and yet again Britain was wrong.
“I will not be silent, Kneecap will not be silent and the people of West Belfast will not be silent.
“We said we would fight you in your court and we would win. We have — three times now. Your own High Court has ruled against you.”
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