Kneecap terrorism cost attraction case begins at Excessive Court docket

Supporters of rap trio Kneecap have gathered on the Royal Courts of Justice in London forward of an attraction towards the choice to throw out a terrorism cost introduced towards one of many group’s members final 12 months.

The UK authorities is interesting the September 2025 choice to dismiss the case towards Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, which was thrown out on technical grounds regarding how the cost towards him was introduced.

He was charged in Might after allegedly displaying a flag in assist of proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a gig on the O2 Discussion board in Kentish City, London, in November 2024.

The 28-year-old, who performs underneath the stage identify Mo Chara, had denied the cost and described it as political.

Supporters arrived simply earlier than 09:00 GMT carrying Irish tricolours and Palestinian flags and varied indicators.

On the courtroom, a small courtroom is getting used for the listening to. Further chairs have been pulled in for the members of the general public.

The Sinn Féin MPs John Finucane and Paul Maskey are contained in the courtroom with Kneecap supporters, band supervisor Dan Lambert and J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, aka DJ Próvaí, alongside an assortment of press.

Finucane spoke to supporters of Kneecap outdoors the courtroom.

“We’ll proceed to face with Liam we’ll proceed to face on the precise facet of historical past,” the Belfast North MP mentioned.

Ó hAnnaidh’s defence beforehand argued that the cost was not introduced throughout the six-month time restrict because the alleged offence passed off.

In September, Chief Justice of the Peace Paul Goldspring informed Woolwich Crown Court docket that the cost towards Ó hAnnaidh was “illegal” and “null”.

In his judgement, the chief Justice of the Peace outlined that permission was not given to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to consent to the prosecution till 22 Might, a day after Ó hAnnaidh was charged.

If 22 Might was thought of to be the date of the cost, that was six months and a day after the London gig the place the offence allegedly occurred.

The choice didn’t relate to any of the allegations Ó hAnnaidh had been going through.

Court docket papers state Wednesday’s listening to will hear the case of the DPP v Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.

The DPP argues that it was enough that the cost was introduced earlier than Ó hAnnaidh made his first look at courtroom on 18 June 2025 to reply the written cost.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) introduced in October 2025 that it will attraction the choice “as we consider there is a crucial level of legislation which must be clarified”.

In an announcement issued on social media on the time, Kneecap mentioned the attraction can be “an enormous waste of taxpayers cash, of police time, of courtroom time”.

The group added: “Information of a CPS attraction towards the ruling of their very own decide is unsurprising.

“It’s unsurprising, as a result of the entire course of has not been pushed by the police or courts, it has been pushed by politicians backed up by the British media.”

They mentioned that is “political policing”.

“There isn’t a necessary level of legislation. The CPS have submitted nothing new of their attraction. What there may be although is a state vast witch-hunt towards Palestinian solidarity.”

In a social media put up earlier this month, Kneecap mentioned: “It’s the view of our authorized workforce that there’s not an iota of logic for this [appeal], it’s with none sound authorized foundation.”