Spanish
A judge dismissed on Friday the terrorism case against Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, a member of the Irish rap group Kneecap, accused of displaying a flag of the Hizbullah organization during a concert in London, which has been considered a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom since March 2019.
The argument for dismissing the case and not sending the musician to trial was that there was a "technical error" in the way the charge against him was presented.
The 27-year-old musician, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged by the Metropolitan Police of London on May 21st with a terrorism offense for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah during a performance by the group on November 21, 2024, at the O2 arena in London.
Senior magistrate Paul Goldspring explained this Friday before the Woolwich court (southeast London) that the accusation against Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh is "illegal" and "null".
During the hearing held on August 20 at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, the singer's defense argued that the official charges against him were filed "out of time" of the six-month period indicated by law for this type of offense and, therefore, should be dismissed.
According to Ó Hannaidh's lawyers, although the police accusation was made on May 21st, the Attorney General, Richard Hermer, did not officially grant the indictment until a day later, which would render it legally invalid.
For its part, the Prosecution argued that the Attorney General's consent is not necessary until a court appearance in which the accused faces the charges.
After releasing the musician on bail and postponing the decision, this Friday Judge Goldspring declared that the procedure was not initiated correctly and, consequently, the accusation is illegal and null, so the court has no jurisdiction to try it.
Dozens of supporters gathered at the doors of the Woolwich court, where they launched proclamations in favor of the group before great media expectation, as confirmed by EFE.
The three members of the group, including the accused, entered the court hooded, with balaclavas of the Irish flag.
In a statement issued before their court appearance, the trio criticized the Metropolitan Police for trying to remove their supporters from the vicinity of the court.
Kneecap gained recognition in 2024 through the film of the same name - winner of a BAFTA award - in which they address identity, political, and social issues with humor and through their Gaelic-language hip hop, reflecting their origins in the Northern Irish nationalist Catholic community.
