The case against Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, for allegedly supporting a proscribed terror organisation has been adjourned until next month.
Ó hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hizbullah at a gig in London on November 21st last year.
Hundreds of supporters greeted the Belfast rapper with cheers as he made his way from a silver people-carrier into Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old, who arrived at court alongside fellow bandmates Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, was swamped by photographers outside, with security officers taking more than a minute to usher him into the court building.
Ó Dochartaigh aka DJ Próvaí and Ó Cairealláin, who performs as Móglaí Bap, sat at the back of the courtroom as Ó hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address at the start of the hearing.
He is accused of holding up a Hizbullah flag on stage while saying “Up Hamas, up Hizbullah”. Kneecap have previously said the flag was thrown on stage during their performance.
He was charged in May under the Terrorism Act, under which it is a criminal offence to display an article in a way which arouses reasonable suspicion that someone is a supporter of a proscribed organisation.
Ó hAnnaidh’s defence team are seeking to throw the case out, citing a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought.
Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21.
Defence counsel Brenda Campbell KC told the court the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on May 21st.
She said consent was given the following day, but that meant the charge falls outside of the six-month time frame in which criminal charges against a defendant can be brought.
Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said permission was not required until the defendant’s first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the case to September 26th when he will give his decision on whether he has jurisdiction to hear the case.
Ó hAnnaidh, who has yet to enter a plea, was released on unconditional bail until his next court appearance.
Supporters of Kneecap’s Liam Og O hAnnaidh, spill onto the road outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court, London, where he is appearing charged with a terrorism offence. The 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hizbullah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, last November. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
Ahead of his arrival in court, fans held signs which read “Free Mo Chara” while others waved Palestine and Irish flags.
Chants of “free, free, Mo Chara” could also be heard over a megaphone which was repeated by the crowd.
The Metropolitan Police had imposed conditions limiting where the demonstration outside the court could take place, saying they were needed to “prevent serious disruption”.
Supporters of Kneecap’s Liam Og O hAnnaidh outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court, London, where he is charged with a terrorism offence. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the Met Police said: “We’ve imposed Public Order Act conditions to prevent serious disruption being caused by a protest outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.”
In response the rap group described this move as a “calculated political decision” that was “designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome” and “asked supporters to go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful”.
Ó hAnnaidh received a rapturous welcome when he appeared at the same court in June. He was greeted by a festival-like atmosphere for his first court appearance, with dozens of fans waving flags, playing drums and one supporter setting off a smoke canister.
The court previously heard the defendant is “well within his rights” to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, was a “wholly different thing”. – Additional reporting: PA