A terror charge which was brought against Kneecap rapper Mo Chara has been thrown out in court.
Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Og hAnnaidh, had appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on a single terror charge. This comes after he was accused of showing a Hezbollah flag during a Kneecap show last November. Hezbollah are listed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government.
Mr O hAnnaidh was granted unconditional bail since his first court appearance back in June.
After giving his ruling, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring said: "These proceedings against the defendant were instituted unlawfully and are null".
Following this, the judge said: "Mr O hAnnaidh, you are free to go," which was met with a huge round of applause in the public gallery. "You can do your celebrating outside, but the court now has other business to attend to".
Earlier, the judge had said that the purpose of the hearing was not to determine Óg hAnnaidh's innocence or guilt, but if the court had jurisdiction on the case.
He also agreed with the Kneecap star's legal team, who claimed that the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the accused when police had informed him he was to face a terror charge on 21 May. Criminal proceedings are brought about when a charge is first issued, not when the defendant appears in court.
Explaining the reasons for his decision, the chief magistrate had this to say.
"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".
"The time limit requires consent to have been granted at the time or before the issue of the requisition".
"Consequently, the charge is unlawful and null and this court has no jurisdiction to try the charge".
Speaking afterwards, Mo Chara paid homage to his legal team and interpreter, before giving his reaction to the ruling in front of his large crowd of supporters who had gathered outside court.
"This entire process was never about me, never about any threat to the public, never about terrorism. A word used by your government to discredit people you oppress. It was always about Gaza. About what happens if you dare to speak up", Óg hAnnaidh said. "As people from Ireland, we know oppression, colonialism, famine and genocide. We have suffered and still suffer under your empire".
He continued: "Your attempts to silence us have failed, because we're right and you're wrong... We will not be silent. We said we'd fight you in your court and we would win, and today we have".
"If anyone on this planet is guilty of terrorism, it's the British state. Free Palestine. Tiocfaidh ar la [Irish for our day will come]", he concluded, with the audience responding with chants of "Free Free Palestine".
Reacting to social media, Kneecap manager Daniel Lambert said the group were on the "right side of history", adding: "We said we would fight them and win. We did (Twice). Kneecap has NO charges OR convictions in ANY country, EVER".
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also wrote: "Mo Chara spoke out against Israel's genocide, for the people of Gaza, for a free Palestine. The charges were an attempt to shut him up, to silence protest. It failed. He's free. Kneecap are not the story. Genocide is the story".
Earlier this week, Kneecap called on their fans to show their support ahead of this court appearance. More on this here.
