Irish Rap Group Kneecap Cancels US Tour After Member Faces Terror Charges Over Hezbollah Flag

Irish rap trio Kneecap scrapped its 15-date US tour after member Liam O’Hanna, charged under UK terror laws for displaying a Hezbollah flag, faces court amid mounting backlash over the band’s anti-Israel stunts.

The controversial Irish rap group Kneecap announced Monday that it has canceled its upcoming 15-date US tour, after member Liam O’Hanna—better known by his stage name Mo Chara—was ordered to appear before a London court on terrorism charges.

The 27-year-old rapper was charged in May under the UK Terrorism Act, accused of displaying the flag of Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terror organization, during a November 2024 performance in London. Prosecutors allege O’Hanna displayed “an article in a way that may arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organization.”

The band, which performs in both Irish and English, branded the prosecution a “witch-hunt” and claimed the Hezbollah flag had simply been thrown on stage. In a statement, Kneecap said the hearing’s timing made it “impossible” to proceed with the American leg of their tour.

Kneecap has long attracted controversy for its outspoken political stunts. In April, the group used its stage at Coachella in California to project anti-Israel slogans, including accusations of genocide in Gaza, condemnation of US military aid to Israel, and a blunt closing message: “F—k Israel. Free Palestine.”

Just last weekend, Kneecap performed at France’s Rock en Seine festival, where members opened their set by chanting “Free, free Palestine!” before insisting they were not “against Israel.” The performance drew protests from French Jewish leaders and officials, with audience members waving keffiyehs and Irish flags while security escorted out several objectors.

Earlier this summer, Kneecap was barred from performing at Hungary’s Sziget Festival after being denied entry by authorities—yet another setback for the Belfast-based trio whose career has increasingly become defined by its politics as much as its music.

The London court ruling now throws Kneecap’s international prospects into deeper uncertainty, with fans and critics alike questioning whether the band’s provocative activism is overshadowing its art.

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