Irish rap trio scrap us tour as Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh fights terror charge over alleged flag display
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap have scrapped their entire US tour after a looming court hearing in London involving band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who is facing a terrorism charge.
Ó hAnnaidh, 27, known on stage as Mo Chara, was charged in May under UK counter-terror laws after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a performance in London last November. He has denied the charge, and the band insist the footage was taken out of context and is being “exploited and weaponised.”
On Monday, the group confirmed on social media that they had cancelled all 15 scheduled US shows in October, citing the proximity of Ó hAnnaidh’s next court hearing to the tour. “Due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London to the first date of the tour, we are forced to cancel all 15 tour dates in October,” the statement read.
“With every show fully sold out, to tens of thousands of fans, this is news we are sad to deliver,” they continued. “But once we win our court case, which we will, we promise to embark on an even bigger tour to all you great heads.”
The upcoming court session is set for 26 September, when a chief magistrate will decide whether Ó hAnnaidh will stand trial. His defence team have pushed for the case to be dismissed, citing a technical flaw in how the charge was issued.
The Belfast-born rapper was met with hundreds of supporters outside Westminster magistrates’ court during an earlier hearing. Kneecap have repeatedly condemned the prosecution, describing it as “political policing” and a “carnival of distraction.”
The cancellation comes as a major blow to US fans, with the band’s shows having sold out weeks in advance. However, Kneecap promised an alternative, teasing a “special surprise” for their American audience. “We will be sharing something very special for US fans next week so that we can still link with you all in October,” their statement read. “It’s top secret for now, but all will be revealed.”
While US tour dates have been pulled, the trio confirmed that Canadian dates in Vancouver and Toronto will still go ahead as planned.
Kneecap, whose politically charged performances frequently address Irish identity, colonialism and Palestine, have become one of Ireland’s most outspoken musical acts. They gained widespread attention in June after leading chants of “f*** Keir Starmer” during their Glastonbury set, aimed at the current UK prime minister.
Just weeks earlier, at California’s Coachella festival, the group made headlines again by using their stage to criticise Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Their outspoken politics, combined with Ó hAnnaidh’s current legal battle, have kept Kneecap firmly in the spotlight. For supporters, the band are being unfairly targeted for their political stances. For critics, the terrorism charge raises troubling questions about their performances.
Despite the uncertainty, Kneecap remain defiant. Their statement on Monday made clear that, win or lose, they have no plans to silence their message or their music. “Once we win our court case,” they promised, “we’ll be back bigger and louder than before.”
For now, their American fans will have to wait. With the terrorism case hanging over their future, Kneecap’s focus has shifted from sold-out stages to the stark reality of the courtroom