UK prosecutors to appeal decision to dismiss Kneecap rapper ‘terror’ charge

Liam O’Hanna said aft lawsuit thrown retired past period that charges aimed astatine silencing dissent implicit Gaza war.

Prosecutors successful the United Kingdom are appealing a tribunal determination to propulsion retired a “terrorism” complaint against Liam O’Hanna, besides known arsenic Og O hAnnaidh, a subordinate of the Irish rap radical Kneecap.

O’Hanna was accused of displaying a emblem of the Iran-backed Lebanese equipped radical Hezbollah during a London performance successful November, but the lawsuit was dismissed successful precocious September by a London tribunal connected relationship of a method error.

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“We are appealing the determination to disregard this lawsuit arsenic we judge determination is an important constituent of instrumentality which needs to beryllium clarified,” a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said connected Tuesday.

The rapper, besides known arsenic Mo Chara (“my friend” successful Gaeilge), was charged successful May nether the United Kingdom Terrorism Act, which states that it is simply a transgression offence to show an nonfiction successful a mode that arouses tenable suspicion that idiosyncratic is simply a protagonist of a banned organisation.

On September 26, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Woolwich Crown Court that the lawsuit was “unlawful” and “null” since it had been brought extracurricular the six-month statutory limit.

There was nary contiguous remark from Kneecap regarding the CPS’s entreaty announcement. After the charges were thrown retired past month, O’Hanna said the lawsuit had much to bash with Gaza and “what happens if you situation to talk up” alternatively than “any menace to the public”.

“As radical from Ireland, we cognize oppression, colonialism, famine and genocide. We person suffered and inactive endure nether ‘your empire’,” helium said. “Your attempts to soundlessness america person failed due to the fact that we are close and you are wrong. We volition not beryllium silent.”

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill said astatine the clip that the charges were “part of a calculated effort to soundlessness those who basal up and talk retired against the Israeli genocide successful Gaza”.

The members of Kneecap person been accused by some countries of promoting “terrorism” owed to statements made successful enactment of Palestinians during Israel’s warfare connected Gaza.

Hungary and Canada person banned the radical from entry, and immoderate of the group’s concerts successful Germany and Austria were cancelled this year.

The radical has consistently maintained it does not enactment Hezbollah oregon Hamas oregon condone violence.