Kneecap‘s manager has recounted the “funniest moment” of band member Mo Chara’s appearance in court today (June 18).
Chara – real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after he was charged with an alleged terror offence. This was over an alleged incident where he reportedly displayed a Hezbollah flag during a Kneecap show last November. Hezbollah is listed as a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK Government.
In response to the charge at the time, the group said that they deny the offence and will “vehemently defend ourselves”. “This is political policing,” they wrote. “This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is.”
Kneecap have consistently denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah, and said that they do not incite or condone violence. Furthermore, they described the legal action as a “carnival of distraction” and argued the footage was taken out of context.
In the run-up to the trial, Kneecap urged fans to show their support for Chara at Westminster with “a big bag of ket”. A huge crowd – which Paul Weller was part of – gathered outside in solidarity holding Irish and Palestinian flags and placards with Irish slogans.
Later on, Kneecap’s manager Daniel Lambert told a story on X/Twitter where the magistrate said they had been unable to find an Irish interpreter for the trial.
“‘If anyone knows of one…,’ he said. The entire public gallery laugh and all point at DJ Próvaí (JJ) at the same time,” he wrote.
Funniest moment of today.
The magistrate (judge) said the court had so far been unable to find an Irish translator.
"If anyone knows of one….” he said
The entire public gallery laugh and all point at DJ Próvaí (JJ) at the same time 😂😂😂
— Daniel Lambert (@dlLambo) June 18, 2025
Próvaí used to be an Irish teacher, and the scene coincidentally resembles one from the semi-fictionalised film Kneecap in which he acts as translator when Chara found himself in trouble with the law.
He then posted a still of himself in the film with the quotation, “Furthermore and not withstanding the aforementioned, he sees no reason to prove he cannot speak English because he’s here asserting his right to speak Irish.”
Kneecap rap partly in the Irish language and have been vocal about wanting to keep it alive through the medium of music.
“There’s still a post-colonial hangover of colonisers telling us that our language is useless and that we’re not progressive,” Moglai Bap noted in the band’s NME cover last year. Provaí added: “People have been told that for the last 100 years.”
Bap added: “If success is a means of getting the Irish language to new places, then that’s something we have to take on. For any language to survive, it has to be alive in the music.”
An Irish interpreter will be sourced for the next hearing, which will take place on August 20. Og O hAnnaidh has been released on unconditional bail until then, after he simply confirmed his name, date of birth and Belfast address. before he was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing on August 20. It is reported that this is to allow time for legal arguments regarding the timeframe in which charges were issued.
Outside the court, Kneecap’s spokesperson pointed out that they had played hundreds of concerts “without a single complaint”.
“Around the world, Kneecap are hailed as heroes,” he continued, before criticising British courts for a “rushed prosecution following their Coachella performance, where Kneecap did not shy away from speaking their truth to power.”
He went on: “The reality is that Kneecap will stand up against political oppression, to defend their rights and the rights of artists and people all around the world. It is not new for Irish people to be prosecuted under special powers for terrorism acts.”
While speaking up for freedom of expression and freedom to protest while accusing Israel of humanitarian atrocities, he added: “Be not afraid, we are on the right side of history.”
Moglai Bap then addressed the crowd, inviting fans to see them at Glastonbury and at their upcoming Wembley Arena show.
“If anybody is going to Glastonbury, you can see us there” he said, alongside his bandmates. “If anybody can’t be there, we’ll be on the BBC – if anybody watches the BBC. We’ll be at Wembley in September, but most importantly ‘free, free Palestine’.”
The case has been postponed until August 20 to allow time for legal arguments regarding the timeframe in which charges were issued, an Irish interpreter is to be sourced for the next hearing
— Allison Morris (@AllisonMorris1) June 18, 2025
The band are set to return to Glastonbury next week with the BBC vowing to televise their set while maintaining their broadcast guidelines. Their set is scheduled for the West Holts stage on the Saturday and will take place at 4pm.
Various festivals including Germany’s Hurricane Festival and Southside Festivals, Cornwall’s Eden Project, and Scotland’s TRNSMT have dropped Kneecap from their line-ups amid controversy. The trio did play a defiant set at Wide Awake Festival in London recently, shortly after holding a warm-up show at the city’s 100 Club.
As well as Glasto, 2000trees have kept Kneecap on their set as 2025 headliners – promising fans that the appearance will be “monumental” – and Bilbao BBK Live recently added the group to the bill following them having their slot at TRNSMT axed.
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