Kneecap's Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh to appear in London court on Wednesday
Rapper Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is to be represented by a team that includes Gareth Peirce, solicitor for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during his fight against US extradition, and Rosalind Comyn, who has represented Extinction Rebellion protesters in court.
Advertisement
The 27-year-old was charged by postal requisition over the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year.
The court appearance is a day before the Kneecap's sold-out Fairview Park concert in Dublin.
On Instagram this week, the trio's account posted a photo with the caption, "Wee update for all the legends headed to Fairview Park on Thursday. Flags are allowed but flag poles aren't.
"Little court date before then but see yis soon x."
Advertisement
On Tuesday, the group revealed that they had "plastered
London with a few messages" ahead of the court date.
The messages, consisting of text saying "More Blacks, More Dogs, More Irish, Mo Chara", a reference to signs that showed up in some properties for rent in London in the 1950s.
Ó hAnnaidh's legal team also includes Darragh Mackin from Phoenix Law, Brenda Campbell KC, Jude Bunting KC and Blinne Ní Ghralaigh KC.
In an Instagram post last week, the group said: '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.'
Advertisement
In May, the Metropolitan Police said Kneecap were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'.
They apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'.
They also said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK.
In 2024, the band released an eponymous film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender, which is a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together and follows the Belfast group on their mission to save their mother tongue through music.
Formed in 2017, the group, made up of Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, is known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Gregg Wallace's replacement for final MasterChef episodes revealed
Gregg Wallace is set to be replaced by Irish chef Anna Haugh towards the end of the new MasterChef 2025 series. This decision follows an independent report substantiating 45 allegations against Wallace, including inappropriate sexual language and unwelcome physical contact. Co-host John Torode also had an allegation of racist language upheld against him, which he denies recalling. The BBC controversially decided to broadcast the 2025 series, stating it was to recognise the efforts of the amateur cooks involved. Anna Haugh will take over from Wallace after the semi-finals, while Grace Dent has already replaced him on the next series of Celebrity MasterChef.
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Man, 65, dies after falling at Angus waterfall
A 65-year-old man has died after he fell at a waterfall in were called to the Reekie Linn waterfall near Kilry just before midday over reports that a person had force said a man's body was recovered and his death is not being treated as suspicious.A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Coroner issues warning over unregulated e-bike batteries after man's death in house fire
A coroner has warned that batteries sold on online market places for e-bike conversions pose a significant and growing risk after a man died in a fire thought to be linked to one left charging. Mohsin Janjua, 28, died after his converted e-bike caught alight while charging overnight at his Bradford home. Martin Fleming, senior coroner for West Yorkshire Western, is asking the government to reassess the law on sales of lithium-ion batteries used to convert bikes into e-bikes. Following an inquest into Mr Janjua's death, the coroner said it was "more likely than not that the fire was caused by a catastrophic failure" of the battery he had bought from a site on eBay. Mr Janjua converted his bike using an electric motor in 2022, and replaced the motor with a 52-volt battery a week before the fatal fire in December 2023. After his death, investigators made test purchases and found that the test-purchase battery and charger, thought to have emanated from China, did not conform to UK safety standards and regulations. Although the battery found after the fire showed similarities with the test purchase, the extent of its damage prevented further identification. The coroner said in a report to the government Office for Product Safety and Standards: 'At the moment it is my understanding that online market places disclaim responsibility for the safety of third-party goods, so I ask that you give consideration to the appropriateness of regulations to make online marketplaces jointly responsible for ensuring the safety and legal compliances of products sold on their sites.' It is the fifth such report on prevention of deaths surrounding lithium-ion batteries in electrically powered bikes and converted or modified devices. Luke Osborne, technical director of charity Electrical Safety First said: 'Substandard batteries sold freely via online marketplaces pose a life-threatening risk to the public. 'The fires that may result when these devices fail can be catastrophic, releasing toxic gases and reaching temperatures of over 600C.' The government is planning a consultation on online marketplaces and dangerous goods sold on them. The charity is calling for the introduction of third-party certification for e-bikes and their batteries, to reduce the risk of substandard devices being sold, and is also calling for stricter rules on conversion kits for e-bikes.
