In a win for Belfast trio Kneecap, the terror charges brought up against Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (who performs under the name Mo Chara) by the U.K. government have been dismissed. Per a report from Sky News, the judge presiding at Woolwich Crown Court in London on September 26 threw out the charges on a technical error.
The U.K. government charged Ó hAnnaidh with a terrorism offense in May 2025. Metro Police investigated concert footage from a London venue in November 2024, subsequently bringing the charges. In the footage, he seemingly showed support for the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization in the U.K.
Kneecap made several tense court appearances since May, where Ó hAnnaidh and his team retained his innocence. The most recent appearance was in August, following unconditional bail in June. Despite repeated calls for their cancelation and dismissal from venues, Kneecap continued to perform.
Now, Kneecap and fans can celebrate their personal victory after another case review. During this most recent trial, the timeline of charges was called into question, particularly if the charge was made within the six-month time limit. The presiding judge subsequently threw the case out once the technical error was discovered.
Kneecap Celebrates Legal Win After Judge Throws Out Terror Charge on Technicality
After the news broke, Kneecap’s manager, Daniel Lambert made a post on social media. “We have won. Liam Óg is a free man,” he wrote. “We said we would fight them and win. We did (Twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER. Political policing has failed. Kneecap is on the right side of history. Britain is not.”
Kneecap remain outspoken supporters of Palestinian freedom at all of their live shows and in their public presence. Their particularly Northern Irish attitude when it comes to occupation, conflict, and human rights violations has set many people on edge. And while they are celebrating their legal win now, the presiding judge made it clear that the ruling was in favor of neither guilt nor innocence.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldstein announced that the “proceedings against the defendant were instituted unlawfully and are null.” He made it clear, however, that this was a decision based on a technical error made when the charges were brought.
Still, Kneecap will most likely be taking this as an overwhelming positive. While they remain banned from Canada and Hungary and forced to cancel their U.S. tour, they still retain a plethora of supporters. Their local Belfast scene backs them almost unanimously, but they’ve seen a huge influx of international support as well.
Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images
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