British police say Mo Chara displayed a flag of Lebanon’s Hezbollah at a concert.

A member of the Irish rap band Kneecap has been charged with a “terrorism” offence in the United Kingdom for waving a flag of the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah at a concert in November 2024 in London.

Liam O’Hanna, whose stage name is Mo Chara, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on June 18, charged under the Terrorism Act, British police said on Wednesday.

Kneecap has been vocal in its support for the Palestinian cause since the October 7, 2023-led Hamas attacks and Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, equating the struggles of the Irish under British colonial rule to that of Palestinians under that of Israel.

Pro-Palestinian chants are a regular fixture in their gigs. The band says they have been targets of a smear campaign for calling out Israel’s genocidal war.

  • Mrkawfee@feddit.uk
    42·
    6 days ago

    It’s not just Kneecap. Journalists, activists and academics are all being arrested under the Terrorism Act for the crime of highlighting israel’s genocide.

    This is the crushing of dissent. No different to Russia or China.

    • NotBillMurray@lemmy.world
      7·
      6 days ago

      Hey, so that quote isn’t from Voltaire, it’s from noted white nationalist and convicted pedofile Kevin Alfred Strom. I get the sentiment behind why you posted it, but in its full context the meaning is pretty gross.

      • Mrkawfee@feddit.uk
        2·
        6 days ago

        Thanks for the clarification. I do think that, as an axiom, it holds up pretty well in the context of the continual deplatforming, deportation , cancellation, defunding and arrest of supporters of Palestine and critics of Israel everywhere.