Kneecap Announce London Gig Hours After Terror Charge

The Belfast rap trio Kneecap announced a surprise London performance at the 100 Club shortly after one of their members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara), was charged with a terror offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a November concert at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town. The group vehemently denies the charge, calling it political policing and a distraction from urgent issues like the starvation crisis in Gaza, accusing British authorities of focusing on them instead of humanitarian abuses. They argue the charge aims to restrict their travel, silence their voices, and prevent them from speaking to young people worldwide. Despite the controversy and the pending court appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18, Kneecap plans to headline the Wide Awake Festival in Brockwell Park and perform the intimate warm-up gig at the 100 Club, which sold out rapidly. The band also highlighted criticism they received, including a provocative quote from former Sex Pistols vocalist John Lydon. Kneecap frames their struggle as standing in solidarity with oppressed peoples and pledges to fight the charges in court while maintaining their activism and performances.