Billboard appears in support of Kneecap ahead of court appearance
Johnny Marr also weighed in on the group's Glastonbury set hitting out at idea of censorship
Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh outside the 100 Club in Oxford Street, central London, last month. Pic: PA/PA Wire
A billboard has appeared in London supporting the west Belfast band Kneecap, as one of its members prepares to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday on an alleged terror offence.
The billboard was snapped in the Lambeth area of the city and shared by a number of users online, including Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard.
The band's own account also shared the image of the billboard, which includes the phrase: 'More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara' set in the colours of the Irish Tricolour.
The phrase included in the billboard appears to be a parody of the historical racist slogan seen across parts of England in the 1960s which included the phrase 'no blacks, no dogs, no Irish'.
Mr Hazard shared an image of the billboard on his Facebook account, captioning the photo: 'Spotted in London.'
It comes as Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh prepares to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday on an alleged terror offence.
The 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged over the alleged display of a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year.
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Meanwhile, a former guitarist from 1980s rock band The Smiths backed Kneecap amid calls for their set at the Glastonbury Festival to be censored.
There had previously been calls for the controversial Irish language rap group's set at the famous festival to be cancelled amid a furore sparked by their pro-Palestine display at US festival Coachella in April.
During the gig, the band – made up of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara), JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí) and Naoise Ó Cairealláin (Moghlaí Bap) – led the crowd in chants of 'free, free Palestine'.
A message reading: 'F**k Israel. Free Palestine' was also unveiled.
The billboard in Lambeth
News in 90 Seconds - June 17
Soon after the gig, footage emerged allegedly showing a band member calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'.
The group subsequently apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'.
Posting a message on his social media channels, former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr said calls for Kneecap's Glastonbury set to be cancelled were not in keeping with the festival's 'free expression'.
"After learning that calls have been made for Kneecap to be censored during their Glastonbury set, I think it's important that I make my own position clear,' he said.
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"I've played Glastonbury many times and the festival has always had a political aspect.
"It was founded as a place of free expression and political activism and it's a fact that I agreed to play there with The Smiths in 1984 purely because to do so at the time was a political act.
"We are living through very troubling times, but for anyone who's been interested in me or my music over the last 40 years, I feel like my political stance has always been very clear.
"Oppression fears artistic expression. I respect all musicians who use their platform to speak out against injustice, who promote compassion and equality and give voice to the voiceless.
"I stand with my audience and fellow musicians who call for an immediate end to the atrocities and a free Palestine.'
Last week, the band announced details of the high-profile legal team that will represent Mo Chara over the alleged terror offence, referring to them as 'An Scothfhoireann – The Dream Team'.
Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh outside the 100 Club in Oxford Street, central London, last month. Pic: PA/PA Wire
Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law heads up the team alongside Gareth Peirce of Binberg Peirce, who has previously defended the Birmingham Six and the Guilford Four, as well as appearing for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
The team also includes Brenda Campbell KC, who represented the families of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster, and freedom of expression expert Jude Bunting KC.
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, who appeared before the International Court of Justice on behalf of South Africa against Israel in relation to the genocide in Gaza, is also in the ranks, with free speech, national security and crime expert Rosalyn Comyn completing the line-up.
In an Instagram post the group added: 'The British establishment is conducting a campaign against Kneecap which is to be fought in Westminster Magistrates Court.
"We are ready for this fight. We are proud to have such a strong legal team with us.'
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