Massive turnout outside court to support Kneecap’s Mo Chara as UK tries to silence criticism of Israel

A UK court has released rapper Mo Chara on unconditional bail after a witch hunt against him and his group Kneecap following their vocal opposition to the US-Israel genocide in Gaza. Ahead of the hearing, meanwhile, a large crowd gathered in solidarity.

The cynical attempts by genocide apologists to silence Kneecap and other anti-genocide voices have backfired, with the band’s popularity increasing significantly since it became a target back in April. The Northern Irish group had shared simple facts at the Coachella festival, such as:

Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people

Despite the denials of politicians supporting or participating in this genocide, there is a global scholarly consensus – including among academics from Israel itself – that the apartheid state has been committing genocide since October 2023.

Pro-Israel agitators reacted to Kneecap’s public show of solidarity with Palestinians by pushing counter-terror police to investigate provocative but out-of-context comments from Kneecap members. One legal campaigner noted how the police responded to this much more quickly than they usually do for “actual perpetrators & enablers of genocide, famine & war crimes”.

Outside the hearing today, protesters showed their opposition to attempts to silence free speech amid the ongoing genocide:

Wow. The turnout outside the court for @KNEECAPCEOL in London #Kneecap pic.twitter.com/Itmtr2NWQk

— Love Music Hate Racism (@lmhrnational) June 18, 2025

Kneecap also arranged for messages of solidarity around London. These referenced the racist ‘No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs’ signs of the past:

Free Mo Chara ! Outside Westminster Magistrates right now ! pic.twitter.com/GMMXrNWLgD

— Fiona Lali (@fiona_lali) June 18, 2025

We've plastered London with a few messages ahead of this witch-hunt.

British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with "terrorism" for crimes never committed.

We will fight them.

We will win.

GRMA to our pals at @TenthManHello for sorting. pic.twitter.com/DbVQ6fTwda

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 17, 2025

GRMA London – sound heads gathering since 8am we will see you soon.

FREE MO CHARA pic.twitter.com/lgliv7CZsK

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 18, 2025

No distraction from genocide!

Hours before Mo Chara was in court, Kneecap highlighted Israel’s latest massacre of dozens of Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a highly controversial US-Israeli ‘death trap‘ organisation that has lured hundreds of people to their deaths so far. And Kneecap said:

Today 51 people were murdered trying to get flour from a US/Israeli company pretending to be a charity…

Meanwhile tomorrow they will try label Mo Chara a terrorist.

The whole world can see the deep evil of Israel and the UK government who arm and cheer them on.

Today 51 people were murdered trying to get flour from a US/Israeli company pretending to be a charity…

Meanwhile tomorrow they will try label Mo Chara a terrorist.

The whole world can see the deep evil of Israel and the UK government who arm and cheer them on.

FREE… pic.twitter.com/3wzmpY6T3L

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 17, 2025

As Kneecap has stressed previously:

We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay.

It also opposed genocide-apologists’ “transparent effort to derail the real conversation”. By attacking the band’s vocal critiques of Israeli crimes, it said:

They want you to believe words are more harmful than genocide.

Adding that “the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine”, they asserted:

The real crimes are not in our performances; the real crimes are the silence and complicity of those in power.

Featured image via the Canary