Prosecutors to appeal decision to throw out terrorism charge against Kneecap’s Mo Chara
The Crown Prosecution Service have announced plans to appeal the decision by a magistrates judge to dismiss the terrorism charge against Kneecap‘s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.
Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who goes by the stage name Mo Chara, was accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town in London.
He was charged in May, and appeared in court for the first time in June before a subsequent hearing in August. Óg Ó hAnnaidh later attended Woolwich Crown Court on September 26th when Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring threw out the case.
Goldspring agreed with Óg Ó hAnnaidh defence team, led by lawyer Brenda Campbell KC, who argued the charge was brought against the rapper unlawfully. Goldspring then deemed that the proceedings were “instituted unlawfully and are null.”
The magistrate added in court: “I find that these proceedings were not instituted in the correct form, lacking the necessary DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and AG (Attorney General) consent within the six-month statutory time limit.”
However, now, the Crown Prosecution Service have issued the following statement: “We are appealing the decision to dismiss this case as we believe there is an important point of law which needs to be clarified.”
The case was thrown out after Campbell argued that Attorney General Richard Hermer hadn’t given his permission for the charge to be brought against Óg Ó hAnnaidh within the six-month time frame of the alleged offence occurring.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service argued in court that they didn’t need Hermer’s permission until the case made its way to the court.
After the case was thrown out, Óg Ó hAnnaidh said: “This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public and never about ‘terrorism’, a word used by your government to discredit people you oppress.”
He continued, “It was always about Gaza. About what happens if you dare to speak up. As people from Ireland we know oppression, colonialism, famine and genocide. We have suffered and still suffer under ‘your empire’. Your attempts to silence us have failed, because we are right, and you are wrong. We will not be silent. We said we would fight you in your court and we would win. We have.”
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.