High Court Dismisses Terror Charges Against Rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh
London — Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, a prominent figure in the rap collective Kneecap, will not face a new trial related to alleged terrorism charges. This decision comes after the High Court in London rejected an appeal from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Ó hAnnaidh, known by his stage name Mo Chara, faced accusations of displaying a flag associated with the banned organization Hezbollah during a performance at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on November 21, 2024. However, the initial case was dismissed in September of the previous year when Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ruled that the proceedings were “instituted unlawfully.”
In a ruling issued on Wednesday, the High Court upheld Goldspring’s earlier decision, effectively quashing the CPS’s appeal. The court determined that the prosecutors had failed to obtain the necessary permission from the Attorney General to charge Ó hAnnaidh before notifying him of the allegations on May 21. This permission was sought and granted the day following the notice, leading the court to conclude that the charge was initiated outside the allowable six-month statute of limitations for criminal charges.
Lord Justice Edis, alongside Mr. Justice Linden, reaffirmed that Goldspring rightly concluded he lacked jurisdiction to address the charges against Ó hAnnaidh. “The respondent has not been tried for his alleged conduct on September 21, 2025, and will not be tried,” Edis stated. “He has neither been convicted nor acquitted.”
Kneecap is scheduled to conduct a press conference shortly, and a sign held by Mo Chara at their venue in Conway Mill expressed, “I’m a free mawn.” The group has actively encouraged fans to gather in support, expressing gratitude for the worldwide solidarity they have received amidst the legal battle.
In a post shared on Instagram, the group proclaimed, “We have always said we would fight them in their own courts and we would win… Let’s see if we have.” They concluded with affirmations for Palestinian freedom and the unification of the six counties.
Further details are expected to emerge following the press conference.
Source: Original Source
