Tristan Fewings/BAFTA/Getty A member of the Northern Irish rap trioKneecaphas been charged with a terrorism offense by British police after allegedly waving a flag in support of the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. London's Metropolitan Policesaid Wednesdaythat Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, the 27-year-old Belfast native who performs under the moniker Mo Chara, was charged under the Terrorism Act, which makes it illegal to publicly support organizations that have been deemed terrorist groups. Referring to the musician by the English spelling of Liam O'Hanna, authorities said he "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." Ó hAnnaidh faces up to six months behind bars and a fine if convicted. He has a hearing at scheduled for June 18 at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Inan Instagram post Thursday, Kneecap said, "We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves." The group also blasted the charge as "political policing" and "a carnival of distraction," referencing the ongoing Israeli occupation and bombardment of the Palestinian territory of Gaza. "14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza," the group said, "with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us." Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Kneecap formed in West Belfast in 2017. Composed of core members Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), and DJ Próvaí (J. J. Ó Dochartaigh), they're known for politically provocative performances and lyrics that intertwine Irish and English. Staunch supporters of Irish Republicanism (which advocates for the unification of Ireland and opposition of British rule) and the revivification of the Irish language, Kneecap have recently gained international notoriety for their advocacy on behalf of the Palestinian people and their criticisms of Israel.Sharon Osbournecalled for the group's U.S. work visasto be revokedin April after they displayed a series of messages critical of Israel and supportive of Hamas during a performance at the Coachella Music Festival. Jeff Spicer/Getty A film depicting Kneecap's formation and rise, starring the group members and also featuring Michael Fassbender and Simone Kirby, was released last year.Kneecappremiered at Sundance, won seven British Independent Film Awards, and was submitted as the Irish entry for the 2025 Oscars, though it was not nominated. In their Instagram post Thursday, Kneecap said, "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." They added, "We are on the right side of history. You are not. We will fight you in court. We will win." Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
