Michelle O’Neill voices support for Kneecap member and campaigners arrested over pro-Palestine protest

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/michelle-oneill-voices-support-for-kneecap-member-and-campaigners-arrested-over-pro-palestine-protest/a1414282544.html

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has expressed “solidarity” with Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh as well as two people arrested in Belfast over the weekend at a pro-Palestine protest.
The vice president of Sinn Fein said that “highlighting genocide” should never be considered a crime.

Mr Ó hAnnaidh (27), who performs as Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence last week after he allegedly displayed a flag in support of the proscribed organisation Hezbollah during a gig in London last year.

In a separate incident at the weekend, campaigners Sue Pentel (72) and Martine McCullough, aged in her 50s, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after protesting outside a Barclays bank branch in Castle Place, Belfast.

Since the latest conflict in the Middle East escalated in October 2023 following Hamas’ deadly attack in Israel there has been criticism of Barclays’ financial ties with arms companies that sell weapons to the country.

Speaking in the Assembly, Ms O’Neill was asked by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll whether she supported Mr Ó hAnnaidh, and Ms Pentel and Ms McCullough.

“I think that highlighting genocide, highlighting the inhumane slaughter of defenceless citizens, is not a crime," she replied.

“That's certainly my view, and I send solidarity to all those protesting and calling for an end to the genocide in Palestine.”

Mr Carroll pressed the First Minister as to whether she specifically raised the case of Mr Ó hAnnaidh with Prime Minister Keir Starmer when the pair met last week.

“I made my point in terms of solidarity to these individuals, to Liam Óg and to Sue and Martine,” she said

“Because I think that anybody who goes out to raise their voice, rightly so, in my opinion, in terms of calling for an end to the genocide in Palestine, is doing a good thing.

The international community is far too silent. The international community has failed to act and the international community has failed to end the genocide in Palestine.

“I can tell you that I did raise that issue with Keir Starmer on Friday. I made it very clear that they needed to end their arms sales to Israel.

“And I made it very clear that they need to step up in a real, detailed way with sanctions against Israel, because to not do so is to be complicit in what they're doing.”

Following Mr Ó hAnnaidh’s being charged last week, Kneecap released a statement denouncing the decision.

“We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction,” the group said.

We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an ‘anti-terror law’ against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn’t have a jury. What’s the objective?

“To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out.

“Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification.

“The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.”
The Met Police’s anti-terrorism unit began investigating the band after footage surfaced of a member appearing to shout “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP”.
A second video also emerged showing a member allegedly chanting “Up Hamas” and “Up Hezbollah” from a stage.

Mr Ó hAnnaidh is due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, June 18 accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah which is a proscribed terror organisation.

“On 21 November 2024, in a public place, namely the O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London, displayed an article, namely a flag, in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hezbollah, contrary to section 13(1)(b) and (3) of the Terrorism Act 2000,” the Met Police previously said.

“Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command were made aware on Tuesday, 22 April of an online video from the event. An investigation was carried out, which led to the Crown Prosecution Service authorising the above charge.”

Following the arrest of two campaigners in Belfast at the weekend, Ms Pentel – a Jewish grandmother and high profile campaigner against the war in Gaza – said it was “ridiculous” that they faced being charged with a criminal offence.