Kneecap have addressed anti-Semitism accusations and reaffirmed their stance against all discrimination

Following the collapse of a terror charge against member Mo Chara, Kneecap have used a new interview to address accusations of anti-Semitism head-on, insisting they are 'against discrimination in any form'.

Chara (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) faced the charge after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a London gig in 2024. The case was thrown out in September on technicalities, and a subsequent Crown Prosecution Service appeal was rejected on 11th March by two High Court judges. Throughout the proceedings, the band argued the footage had been taken out of context, with Chara maintaining he was unaware of what the flag was when he picked it up.

In a conversation with The Big Issue, the trio tackled the fallout directly. Asked whether he had any regrets about the gig, Chara said: "I don't think my lawyer would be too happy about me mentioning anything about it." On the nature of performing live, he continued: "When you're playing a gig it's impossible to be perfectly conscious all the time. I don't remember all – and that's not just from drink, that's pure adrenaline. I can't be completely responsible all the time."

Describing anti-Semitism as 'terrible' and a 'real issue', Chara took aim at those he believes misuse the term to silence criticism of the Israeli government. "When you start labelling bands and people who speak out against Israel as anti-Semitic, what you do is water that term down," he said, adding: "We are not anti-Semitic."

Móglaí Bap drew a connection to their background in the north of Ireland. "Look, we're from the north of Ireland. We know about fucking religious conflicts, people using religion as a way to murder, maim and all this stuff," he told the outlet. "We have gone through that as a country and we want nothing to do with it."

Chara had previously addressed the flag incident in an interview with The Guardian last summer. "It's a joke. I'm a character," he said at the time. "Shit is thrown on stage all the time. If I'm supposed to know every fucking thing that's thrown on stage, I'd be in Mensa, Jesus Christ." He also noted: "I don't know every proscribed organisation – I've got enough shit to worry about up there. I'm thinking about my next lyric, my next joke, the next drop of a beat."

Their forthcoming album 'FENIAN' arrives via Heavenly Recordings on 24th April, featuring the Starmer-targeting single 'Liars Tale'.