KNEECAP rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has told the British government that their attempt to label him a terrorist has failed".
On Wednesday, the High Court dismissed an appeal to overturn the decision to throw out the terrorism case against Liam Óg.
The rapper, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, on November 21 2024.
Last September, the case was thrown out by chief magistrate Paul Goldspring who ruled the proceedings were “instituted unlawfully”. The Crown Prosecution Service appealed against the decision at the High Court at a hearing in January.
At 2pm today the court dismissed the appeal “agreeing with the Chief Magistrate”.
Shortly before a packed press conference at Conway Mill, Mo Chara held up a ‘I’m a free mawn’ sign which was cheered by supporters.
The band members then appeared with manager Dan Lambert and their solicitor Darragh Mackin from Phoenix Law.
Liam Óg said: "I want to thank my legal team who left no stone unturned in ensuring justice was upheld.
Today's press conference in the Conway Mill
"This entire process was never about me or any threat to the public or about terrorism – a word used by the British Government to describe people they oppress.
"It was always about Palestine and what happens if you dare to speak up and reach large groups of people to expose their hypocrisy.
"As people from Ireland we know about colonialism, famine and genocide. Being from West Belfast, we know how it still affects our community and families.
"Your attempt to label me a terrorist has failed because I was right and yet again, Britain was wrong.
"Your own High Court has ruled against you. The pathetic thing about this court case is that you falsely tried to label me a terrorist when it is the British government ministers that are arming and assisting a genocide in Gaza, the destruction of Lebanon and the senseless slaughter of schoolchildren in Iran."
Asked by the Andersonstown News how the case had affected him on a personal level, Mo Chara stated: "This was bigger than us. Whatever stress I developed was minimal and it doesn't compare to the stress of people in Gaza.
"We lost gigs. We were restricted in our movement in certain places because of this ruling hanging over us but we'll get over it.
"We will continue to use our platform to talk about Gaza and Cuba, etc. We are lads from West Belfast and we don't shy away from this stuff.
"We don't give a f**k about the repercussions anymore. We said we would fight you in your court and we would win, we have, three times now.
“Your own High Court has ruled against you.”
