Kneecap denounced a terrorism case appeal in Belfast as a “massive waste of taxpayers money” and accused the British state of using the courts to silence political dissent.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced plans Monday (October 6) to challenge a judge’s ruling that dismissed charges against group member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known on stage as Mo Chara, who was accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a concert in November 2024.
“News of a Crown Prosecution Service Appeal against the ruling of their own judge is unsurprising,” the group wrote in a statement posted Tuesday (October 7). “He ruled the charge was ‘unlawful and null’ and it was.”
The Belfast-based Hip-Hop trio, known for politically charged rhymes and Irish republican themes, directed their frustration at what they called the “Police (British) State.” The group alleged the case is part of a broader campaign to suppress voices supporting Palestine.
“This whole process has not been driven by the police or the courts, it has been driven by politicians backed up by British media,” the group added. “This is political policing.”
The original charge was thrown out after the chief magistrate deemed it “unlawful,” citing a procedural misstep in how the case was filed.
Still, the CPS said it would pursue an appeal “because we believe there is an important point of law which needs to be clarified.”
Kneecap rejected that reasoning.
“There is no ‘important point of law’. The CPS have submitted nothing new in their appeal,” the group said. “What there is though, is a state wide witch-hunt against Palestinian solidarity.”
Kneecap Rapper Speaks Out After Dismissal
Ó hAnnaidh, 27, addressed the media after the initial dismissal, saying, “This entire process was never about me. It was never about any threat to the public, it was never about terrorism – a word used by your Government to discredit people you oppress. It was always about Gaza, about what happens if you dare to speak up.”
The group’s statement also referenced the ongoing violence in Gaza, stating, “104 Palestinians were murdered in Gaza and hundreds more maimed as Israel commits genocide” on the same day the appeal was filed.
The group ended their statement with a defiant message: “We will fight you in your court again. We will win again. Tiocfaidh ár lá. FREE PALESTINE.”
The appeal is expected to stretch over several months. A hearing date has not yet been confirmed.
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