VIDEO: UK drops terror charges against pro-Palestinian Irish rapper Kneecap

A UK court on Friday threw out a terrorism-related charge against Northern Irish rapper Liam O'Hanna, a member of the hip-hop group Kneecap, after ruling the prosecution was illegally instituted due to a technical error.

O'Hanna, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May with displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November 2024.

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Following the ruling by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring at Woolwich Crown Court, O'Hanna addressed supporters gathered outside, declaring the case was a failed attempt to muzzle the band’s outspoken pro-Palestinian activism.

"It was always about Gaza, about what happens if you dare to speak up... Your attempts to silence us have failed, because we're right and you're wrong," he said in front of a crowd gathered outside a London court after the judge decided to throw out the terrorism charge against him. 

The Chief Magistrate ruled the charge "unlawful" and "null," agreeing with the defense that the necessary consent from the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General was not obtained within the six-month statutory time limit for the alleged offense.

Kneecap has accused British authorities of "political policing" since the charge was brought, stating it was a "carnival of distraction" from the offensive in Gaza. 

First Minister Michelle O'Neill welcomed the ruling."These charges were part of a calculated attempt to silence those who stand up and speak out against the Israeli genocide in Gaza," she posted on X.

Kneecap, which raps in both Irish and English, has gained international attention for its highly political lyrics, with the band frequently linking the struggles in Northern Ireland to the Palestinian cause. 

The dropped charge marks the end of a high-profile legal battle that has drawn sharp scrutiny from political and cultural figures across the UK and Ireland.