Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said she thinks the BBC “should not be showing” Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury Festival next week.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying what looked to be a flag in support of Hezbollah whilst saying “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a gig in November last year.
The 27-year-old arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning following the alleged incident during a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London.
Ms Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: “The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda.
“One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act.
“As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.”
On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh was met with support of fans as he arrived with fellow Kneecap members Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in ‘Free Mo Chara’ T-shirts.
O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20. He requested an Irish language interpreter for the trial.
Following the hearing, the rapper said: “For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday.
“If you 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.”
