Kneecap to play in London tonight as they sell out in seconds amid terror charge
Rap music band Kneecap announced a surprise gig on Thursday and swiftly sold all tickets in under two minutes just a day after a band member was hit with a terror charge
Rap trio Kneecap have sold out a surprise gig in rapid time just hours after a band member was charged with a terror offence by UK police. The concert, to be held at London's legendary 100 Club, is said to have taken just 90 seconds to sell out.
The group from Belfast, who rap in the Irish language, are set to take to the stage tonight (Thursday) ahead of their headline slot at Wide Awake Festival in Brockwell Park, south London, on Friday night. Two thousand people joined the waiting list for Thursday's gig after the speedy sellout.
The band had announced the last-minute gig on social media, sending fans into a frenzy. It comes after they shared messages following Wednesday's charge.
Artist Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged by the Metropolitan Police on Wednesday with a terrorism offence relating to displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in London last November.
O'Hanna, 27, of Belfast, was charged by postal requisition and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 18, the Met said.
In a statement, the Met said: "Liam O'Hanna, 27, (16.10.97) of Belfast has been charged, via postal requisition, with displaying a flag in support of Hizballah, a proscribed organisation, namely: On 21 November 2024, in a public place, namely the O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London, displayed an article, namely a flag, in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hizballah, contrary to section 13(1)(b) and (3) of the Terrorism Act 2000."
Taking to Instagram to issue a lengthy statement in response, the band said: "14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again, the British establishment is focused on us.
"We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is. As they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage."
They continued: ""A charge not serious enough to even warrant their 'crown court', instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? To restrict our travel ability. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare to speak out.
"Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries.
"Then, like now, they claim justification. The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.
"We stand proudly with the people. You stand complicit with the war criminals. We are on the right side of history. You are not. We will fight you in court. We will win. Free Palestine."
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