A ruling in Kneecap member Mo Chara’s terror case in the U.K. will be issued next month, a judge said, after lawyers for both sides argued over whether the case against the rapper was brought within the proper six-month time frame.

Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, made his second appearance at the Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The Belfast rapper’s terror charge is tied to a November 2024 Kneecap concert in London, where Ó hAnnaidh allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag on stage. But the London Metropolitan Police weren’t made aware of the alleged incident until April 2025, with charges being brought the following month. 

As The Belfast Telegraph reports, Ó hAnnaidh’s defense team is currently trying to have the case dismissed on technical grounds, saying the charge was brought one day after the six-month limit for such charges expired. Prosecutors countered that the charge was brought within the proper time frame.

This debate hinges further on legal particulars related to how and when a charge is brought under the U.K.’s Terrorism Act. Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyers said their client first received notice of the charge on May 21, which didn’t count as an official charge because the Attorney General hadn’t given prosecutors permission to bring the case yet. They argued that the charge was officially brought on May 22, one day after the six-month limit expired. The Crown Prosecution Service, however, said the May 21 charge was valid because they did not need the AG’s permission to at that time. 

At the end of the hearing, Judge Paul Goldspring acknowledged the importance of a “speedy resolution” in the case, but said, “I will reserve my judgment for a couple of weeks.” He scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 26.

Ó hAnnaidh arrived at the courthouse on the morning alongside his bandmates Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin) and DJ Próvai (JJ O’Dochartaigh).

Ahead of today’s hearing, the Metropolitan Police established a restriction zone for protesters ahead of the court appearance, implementing “Public Order Act conditions to prevent serious disruption being caused by a protest outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.” Kneecap responded to the restrictions last night on social media, writing, “We massively appreciate the support of what we know are the majority of the public, who can see this farce for what it is. It is distraction from war crimes that the British state support.”

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They continued, “In our view this police action is designed to try and portray support for Kneecap as somehow troublesome. It is a calculated political decision the night before Mo Chara’s court appearance. There is no basis for this, our last hearing was entirely peaceful and a loving show of solidarity with the most disruptive attendees the right wing media. We know all of our supporters will be, but please go out of your way to be compliant with all instructions issued, irrespective of how pitiful.”

Despite the restrictions, hundreds of supporters showed up outside the court, many carrying signings that read “Free Mo Chara.” Others waved Irish and Palestinian flags.

Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, has arrived at court.

Hundreds of protestors have turned up to show their support. pic.twitter.com/anqMudNnPt

— Narinder Kaur (@narindertweets) August 20, 2025

Ó hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail in June after initially appearing in court. The preliminary hearing at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18 was largely procedural. During that hearing, Ó hAnnaidh spoke only to confirm his name.

Both Ó hAnnaidh and Kneecap have repeatedly denied the allegations, stating previously that they “do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah.” They’ve claimed footage of the November 2024 concert was “deliberately taken out of all context,” and suggested the terror charge is a reprisal for their outspoken support for Palestine, their calls for an end to the war in Gaza, and their criticism of the U.K. and U.S. governments for continuing to fund and supply arms to Israel. 

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On Tuesday, Kneecap posted on social media in support of Palestine. “Tomorrow Mo Chara is back in Westminster Magistrates Court as the British government’s carnival of distraction continues,” the band wrote. “Since his last court appearance Israel has murdered another 9,000 Palestinians, mainly children and women. Over 1,000 murdered whilst queuing for aid, starved due to their siege, whilst pitiful amounts of aid delivered by a sham agency controlled by Israel. Young children gunned down by snipers as they scramble for a bag of flour. Whole families, from babies to grandparents, murdered as they huddled in makeshift tents.”

They added, “British courts have long charged people from the North of Ireland with ‘terrorism’ for crimes never committed. We will fight them. We will win.”