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KNEECAP HAVE PULLED OUT OF THIS YEAR'S TRNSMT FESTIVAL AFTER MEMBER LIAM O'HANNA WAS CHARGED BY THE METROPOLITAN POLICE FOLLOWING A CONTROVERSIAL PERFORMANCE 19:37, 28 May 2025
Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap have withdrawn from a big UK festival after calls for their removal from the line-up. The Belfast-based band were set to perform at this year's TRNSMT
Festival, Glasgow, in July, but have now cancelled following news that band member Liam O'Hanna has been charged by the Metropolitan Police. O'Hanna, 27, who goes by the stage name
Mo Chara, faces charges for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a group recognised as a terrorist organisation in the UK. The charge is linked to an incident reportedly
occurring on November 21, 2023, during a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London. Following the controversy, Kneecap will instead take to the stage at the O2 Academy on Tuesday, July 8 -
the same week they were due to appear at TRNSMT. In a social media statement, Kneecap said: "Due to concerns expressed by the Police about safety at the event, Kneecap can no longer
perform at TRNSMT'. To the thousands of people who bought tickets, flights and hotels to see us play, we are sorry... it is out of our hands." They added: "Glasgow has always
been a huge city for us. We've played there many many times, with no issues - ever. Make of that what you will. To try and makeup for it, we will be at your O2 Academy on Tuesday July
8th. Pre-sale is tomorrow at 10am in our WhatsApp channel. General sale is 10am this coming Saturday," reports the Mirror. A Police Scotland spokesperson told the Scottish Sun:
"Any decision on the line up at TRNSMT is for the organisers and there was no prior consultation with Police Scotland before acts were booked. Officers have highlighted the potential
reaction of such a large audience to this band would require a significant policing operation in order to support the delivery of a safe event. We have also passed on information from the
public around safety concerns to allow organisers to make an informed decision on the running of the festival." Hot on the heels of the recent controversy, it's been revealed that
O'Hanna faced charges over the alleged fiasco last year. He's due to stand at Westminster Magistrates' Court come June 18. At the time, the Met released a statement saying:
"Liam O'Hanna, 27, (16.10.97) of Belfast has been charged, via postal requisition, with displaying a flag in support of Hizballah, a proscribed organisation, namely: On 21 November
2024, in a public place, namely the O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London, displayed an article, namely a flag, in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is
a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hizballah, contrary to section 13(1)(b) and (3) of the Terrorism Act 2000." The force stated: "Officers from the Met's Counter
Terrorism Command were made aware on Tuesday, 22 April of an online video from the event. An investigation was carried out, which led to the Crown Prosecution Service authorising the above
charge." In an Instagram post, the band remarked: "14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once
again, the British establishment is focused on us." The band asserted: "We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a
carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is. As they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage."
They further proclaimed: "A charge not serious enough to even warrant their 'crown court', instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? To
restrict our travel ability. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare to speak out." The band condemned:
"Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did
in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it. "We stand
proudly with the people. You stand complicit with the war criminals. We are on the right side of history. You are not. We will fight you in court. We will win. Free Palestine." JOIN THE
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