Kneecap respond after Metropolitan Police place restrictions on protestors ahead of court appearance: “A calculated political decision”
Kneecap have responded after the Metropolitan Police placed restrictions on planned protests ahead of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh’s Westminster Magistrates Court appearance on August 20th.
Ó hAnnaidh, better known by his stage name Mo Chara, previously appeared in June. In May, he was charged with a terror offence for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert held at the O2 Kentish Town Forum.
Protestors are expected to gather outside Westminster Magistrates Court in support of Ó hAnnaidh, as they did when he previously appeared in court in June. Additionally, a series of artists and speakers are set to appear, including Nadine Shah and Maverick Sabre.
On the night before the court appearance, the Metropolitan Police announced they had imposed a Public Order Act “to prevent serious disruption being caused by a protest outside”. They shared a map on social media and explained, “Protest in support of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh and aligned causes must remain in the red area. Any stage must be erected in the green area.”
In response, Kneecap wrote on X: “We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is. It is distraction from war crimes that the British state support. In our view this police action is designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. It is a calculated political decision the night before Mo Chara’s court appearance.”
They continued: “There is no basis for this, our last hearing was entirely peaceful and a loving show of solidarity with the most disruptive attendees the right wing media. We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful.”
Kneecap signed off their message by writing, “Free Palestine”.
In a report from his last court appearance, Far Out wrote: “The crowd was filled with all walks of life; children clung to shoulders, wheelchairs often rolled through the group and were offered the best vantage points, the elderly clung to the arms of strangers who bonded about where they were from, how long they had travelled.”
Amid the ongoing legal situation, Kneecap were recently banned from entering Hungary for three years, which prevented them from appearing at Sziget Festival. Additionally, following political pressure, another show in Vienna was cancelled earlier this month.
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