Irish-language rap band Kneecap said on Thursday that a charge of a terrorism offence against one of its members for displaying a flag of banned militant group Hezbollah represented an attempt to prosecute artists who speak out.
London’s Metropolitan Police charged Liam O’Hanna, 27, one of the three members of the Belfast-based band, on Wednesday, saying he displayed a flag “in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation,” in this case identified as Hezbollah.
In a statement on X, the band said the charge represented “political policing” and sought “to prosecute artists who dare speak out.” The trio said O’Hanna displayed a flag that had been thrown on stage. They did not mention Hezbollah.
O’Hanna, 27, is due to appear in court on June 18.
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Kneecap, who rap about Irish identity and support the republican cause of uniting Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, with the Republic of Ireland, faced backlash over pro-Palestinian messages projected during their set last month at the annual music festival Coachella in California.
“Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,” they said on X last month about two groups banned in Britain. “We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation’s history.”
The trio apologized in April to the families of two murdered British members of the parliament after footage emerged of them appearing to say “kill your local MP” during a 2023 performance.
Kneecap is due to play at the Glastonbury Festival in England in June. Some lawmakers have called on the festival organizers to cancel their appearance.
