Kneecap remains defiant at biggest ever show, even after terror charge

Irish-language rap group Kneecap drew thousands to London's Wide Awake Festival on Friday night in a fiery and politically charged performance, just days after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence.

Ó hAnnaidh, known on stage as Mo Chara, faces allegations from UK authorities for displaying a Hezbollah flag at a previous performance. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization in the UK. The band has denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges “a carnival of distraction” aimed at silencing dissent about Gaza.

Onstage at Brixton’s Brockwell Park, Mo Chara didn’t hold back. “The world needs to see 20,000 people in a park in London chanting, ‘Free, free Palestine,’” he declared to roaring cheers. The crowd responded with a defiant chorus that echoed across the festival grounds.

Friday’s performance marked Kneecap’s first major appearance since the legal controversy erupted. The trio, Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), and DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh), performed tracks from their album Fine Art, which has seen a streaming surge amid the media storm. They also debuted a new track, The Recap, which opens with a clip referencing the investigation.

The band’s messaging, mixing Irish nationalism with Gaza solidarity, has drawn both devoted fans and fierce critics. Some, including UK politicians, have called for Kneecap to be barred from performing at major festivals like Glastonbury. Others, including musicians Paul Weller, Massive Attack, and CMAT, have rallied behind the band, defending their right to political expression.

Ó hAnnaidh, who is due in court next month, struck a defiant tone. “Get your grannies to light a wee candle for me,” he joked to the crowd.

Despite the controversy, the mood in the park was jubilantly anti-Israel, with many in the crowd waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans. One fan told the BBC, “If you’re not standing up now, you’ll regret it later.”

Kneecap’s performances at the Eden Project and Plymouth Pavilions were recently canceled, and Police Scotland warned of a “significant policing operation” ahead of their set at TRNSMT festival in Glasgow.

Still, given the current "coolness" of antisemitism, Kneecap’s message sadly appears to be resonating. Whether seen as provocative freedom fighters or reckless agitators, the band continues to capture attention (and controversy) on both sides of the Irish Sea.