The British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced Tuesday that it has filed an appeal against a London court’s decision to dismiss terrorism charges against Liam Ó Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, a member of the Irish rap group Kneecap.
Ó Hanna had been charged with displaying the flag of Hezbollah—a designated terrorist organization in the United Kingdom—during a concert in London in November 2024. However, in late September, a judge ruled that the charge was filed after the legal statute of limitations had expired and therefore was “unlawful and beyond the court’s jurisdiction.”
The dismissal, which the court described as being based on “technical grounds,” was met with cheers from supporters inside the courtroom.
A spokesperson for the CPS said Tuesday: “We are appealing the decision to dismiss the case, as we believe there is an important point of law that needs to be clarified.”
Ó Hanna has consistently denied supporting Hezbollah, calling the charges “a political decision” tied to the group’s criticism of Israel and the war in Gaza. Leaving court after the earlier hearing, he said he was “glad that the attempt to silence us failed.”
Since the charges were filed in May, Kneecap has drawn significant public attention—along with mounting controversy. Several of the group’s performances in Germany and Austria were canceled, entry to Hungary for the Sziget Festival was denied and the band was barred from entering Canada. A planned U.S. tour was also called off.
Formed in Northern Ireland, Kneecap gained international recognition for its politically charged lyrics, blending English and Irish, and its sharp criticism of British rule. The group rose to prominence in 2024 with its album Fine Art and the semi-fictional docudrama Kneecap, which won awards at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States.