LARGE BILLBOARDS HAVE been erected by Irish band Kneecap in London ahead of its member’s appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh’s high-profile court date comes just less than a month after the rapper, known as Mo Chara, was charged by the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service.

The charge is that Ó hAannaidh “displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation” during a gig in the O2 Forum, Kentish Town last November.

Protests outside the court this morning are being organised by a number of UK and Irish-based groups, with Kneecap themselves promoting the demonstrations on social media.

The UK’s Stop The War Coalition is among those organising the protest, calling on people to “picket” the court building.

“The ‘carnival of distraction’ around Kneecap keeps on travelling while Israel pursues its starvation policy in Gaza and the UK government continues to sell it arms,” the group has said.

Other groups supporting the protest include several involved in campaigning on behalf of the Palestinian people.

In a post on social media, Irish in London for Palestine wrote:

“The UK government is calling Liam Óg Hannaidh from Kneecap a terrorist for daring to speak truth to power — for standing with Palestine and refusing to be silenced. This isn’t just about one artist or one group — it’s about our right to protest, our right to speak, and our duty to stand against injustice.”

In a post on social media, the band said it had erected the billboards ahead of the court appearance, which it called a “witch-hunt”. 

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh's high-profile court date comes just less than a month after the rapper, known as Mo Chara, was charged by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service. Alamy Alamy

In the month since the charge was confirmed, the band have stated consistently that Ó hAnnaidh would be strongly contesting it, recruiting a team of high-profile lawyers with experience of UK courts to administer the defence.

The legal team includes Darragh Mackin, of Phoenix Law, who represented families of the Stardust fire and Brenda Campbell KC, who acted in the recent inquests in the Stardust case.

Also part of the legal team are Gareth Peirce, solicitor for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and previously the Guildford Four, and Rosalind Comyn, who has represented Extinction Rebellion protesters in court.

Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC, who last year acted on behalf of South Africa in its genocide case against Israel, is also part of the legal team.

Kneecap have come to international prominence for their outspokenness on Israel’s ongoing bombing and siege of Gaza which has killed over 50,000 people and has brought the enclave to the brink of famine.

“The British establishment is conducting a campaign against Kneecap which is to be fought in Westminster Magistrates Court… We are ready for this fight. We are proud to have such a strong legal team with us,” the band said in a post on social media last week.

Speaking about the case, Mackin said: “It is difficult to comprehend a case of greater international importance in recent years.”

Kneecap has played an unrivalled role in standing up for those without a voice in Gaza. They speak truth to power when others shy away.

“It is a great privilege to be instructed alongside my colleagues to defend the important principle of freedom of expression, in the pending battle before the London Court.”

The charge Ó hAnnaidh is facing is under section 13 of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000, which states that:

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“A person in a public place commits an offence if he a) wears an item of clothing or b) wears, carries or displays an article, in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation.”

The legislation also outlines potential penalties upon conviction, which could be up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

There will not be a jury determining the verdict but a district judge instead.

Section 13 of the Terrorism Act is a ‘strict liability offence’, which means that the motivation or intent of the accused does not have to be proven by the prosecution but that the interpretation of a “reasonable person” is a factor.

Today’s court date is not the first time Kneecap have been involved in legal proceedings in London.

Last November, Kneecap have won their discrimination challenge over a decision by former business secretary and current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to refuse them £14,250 in UK government funding.

The band had launched legal action claiming the decision to refuse the grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationality and political opinion. The case was settled after the UK government conceded it was “unlawful”.

- With reporting by Press Association & Muiris Ó Cearbhaill