Latest news with #FreePalestine
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Singer shouts ‘Free Palestine' before first match of Lions tour
An Irish singer shouted 'Free Palestine' during a performance before the rugby match between the British & Irish Lions and Argentina. Cian Ducrot, the Irish singer-songwriter, began his set at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin with his hit I'll be Waiting and finished his second song as players from both sides were returning to the changing rooms. Just as they left the pitch, the 27-year-old called out 'Free Palestine' in place of a lyric. Ducrot's pro-Palestine protest is the latest seen in sport. Other recent examples include a Palestine flag flown over Allianz Stadium by a drone during the Six Nations game between England and Italy in March. The group responsible, Palestine Action, said it targeted the match because Allianz insures Elbit Systems, one of Israel's largest weapons manufacturers. Palestine Action had also targeted Turnberry, Donald Trump's Scottish golf course, digging up greens, spray-painting the clubhouse and daubing 'Gaza is not for sale' on the course in 10ft-high graffiti. In football, Paris St-Germain fans held up a 'Free Palestine' banner last November, while a female spectator threw leaflets with the same message onto the court at the Australian Open match between Alex Zverev and Cameron Norrie in January. Ducrot is a Grammy-award winning singer who grew up in Cork. His protest comes two days after Liam O'Hanna, an Irish-language rapper, was released on bail after appearing in court on a terror charge related to his support of Hezbollah.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Kneecap rapper denies terror charge
A rapper with provocative Irish group Kneecap appeared in court Wednesday charged with a terror offence for allegedly supporting Hezbollah, as hundreds of cheering fans gathered outside. Liam O'Hanna, 27, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around his neck, and black sunglasses. Shouts of "Free Palestine" and "Kneecap" rang out from the crowd outside, as well as from people inside the court building. The Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned in the UK, and it is an offence to show support for them. Kneecap, which recently grabbed headlines for statements denouncing the war in Gaza and against Israel, has denied the charge. "We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction," the Belfast band wrote on X last month. The court released O'Hanna on unconditional bail on Wednesday and set the next hearing for August 20. He spoke only to confirm his name and address. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said the case was "not about Mr O'Hanna's support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel". "He is well within his rights to voice his opinions and his solidarity," Bisgrove said. Instead, the prosecutor said, the case was about O'Hanna wearing and displaying "the flag of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organisation, while allegedly saying 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah'". The raucous punk-rap group has said the video that led to the charge was taken out of context. O'Hanna told London's Wide Awake Festival in May the charge was an attempt to "silence us" after several of their performances were cancelled. A performance in Scotland was pulled over safety concerns, various shows in Germany were axed, and UK government ministers had suggested the organisers of the upcoming Glastonbury festival should reconsider the band's appearance. The singer's defence team argued that the charge fell outside a six-month time limit, as the concert was performed on November 21, and he was charged on May 21. Unfazed Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, the group's members rap in the Irish language as well as English. Formed in 2017, the group is no stranger to controversy. Their lyrics are filled with references to drugs, they have repeatedly clashed with the UK's previous Conservative government and have vocally opposed British rule in Northern Ireland. Last year, the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictional film based on them that scooped multiple awards including at the Sundance festival. O'Hanna, Liam Og O Hannaidh in Gaelic, was charged last month after London's Metropolitan Police investigated a video from the festival in Kentish Town, north London, in November 2024. One of the supporters outside the court on Wednesday, Sadia Kokni, denounced the charge as "ridiculous". "Kneecap actually represent every one of us. They speak for us, you know, because everything they feel, every injustice that they feel, we feel," the 44-year-old told AFP. "We came to defend the right to protest and freedom of speech," said banker, Caitlin McClure, 24. "I'm a fan of Kneecap, their music means something to me. I'm Scottish and we are not independent either." The group apologised this year after a 2023 video emerged appearing to show one singer calling for the death of British Conservative MPs. Rich Peppiatt, who directed the award-winning semi-autobiographical film about Kneecap, told AFP this week that the group was "unfazed" by the legal charge and controversies. "Even through all the controversy at the moment, they just shrug their shoulders and get on with it," Peppiatt said. "They've always been controversial at a local level, and they've always bounced back from it," he added. AFP
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Kneecap rapper in court on terror charge over Hezbollah flag
A rapper with provocative Irish group Kneecap appeared in court Wednesday charged with a terror offence for allegedly supporting Hezbollah, as hundreds of cheering fans gathered outside. Liam O'Hanna, 27, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf around his neck, and black sunglasses. Shouts of 'Free Palestine' and 'Kneecap' rang out from the crowd outside, as well as from people inside the court building. The Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned in the UK, and it is an offence to show support for them. Irish rap group Kneecap singer, Liam O'Hanna (left), who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, stands with band mates Naoise O Caireallain, aka Moglai Bap (right) and JJ O'Dochartaigh aka DJ Provai (center), outside Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on June 18, 2025, after O'Hanna was released on bail until his next hearing in August.--AFP photos Kneecap, which recently grabbed headlines for statements denouncing the war in Gaza and against the Zionist entity, has denied the charge. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction,' the Belfast band wrote on X last month. The court released O'Hanna on unconditional bail on Wednesday and set the next hearing for August 20. He spoke only to confirm his name and address. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said the case was 'not about Mr O'Hanna's support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of the Zionist entity'. 'He is well within his rights to voice his opinions and his solidarity,' Bisgrove said. Instead, the prosecutor said, the case was about O'Hanna wearing and displaying 'the flag of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organization, while allegedly saying 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah''. The raucous punk-rap group has said the video that led to the charge was taken out of context. O'Hanna told London's Wide Awake Festival in May the charge was an attempt to 'silence us' after several of their performances were cancelled. A performance in Scotland was pulled over safety concerns, various shows in Germany were axed, and UK government ministers had suggested the organizers of the upcoming Glastonbury festival should reconsider the band's appearance. The singer's defence team argued that the charge fell outside a six-month time limit, as the concert was performed on November 21, and he was charged on May 21. Unfazed Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, the group's members rap in the Irish language as well as English. Formed in 2017, the group is no stranger to controversy. Their lyrics are filled with references to drugs, they have repeatedly clashed with the UK's previous Conservative government and have vocally opposed British rule in Northern Ireland. Last year, the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictional film based on them that scooped multiple awards including at the Sundance festival. O'Hanna, Liam Og O Hannaidh in Gaelic, was charged last month after London's Metropolitan Police investigated a video from the festival in Kentish Town, north London, in November 2024. Supporters of the band Kneecap, and its singer Liam O'Hanna who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, hold placards as they gather outside Westminster Magistrates' Courts. One of the supporters outside the court on Wednesday, Sadia Kokni, denounced the charge as 'ridiculous'. 'Kneecap actually represent every one of us. They speak for us, you know, because everything they feel, every injustice that they feel, we feel,' the 44-year-old told AFP. 'We came to defend the right to protest and freedom of speech,' said banker, Caitlin McClure, 24. 'I'm a fan of Kneecap, their music means something to me. I'm Scottish and we are not independent either.' The group apologized this year after a 2023 video emerged appearing to show one singer calling for the death of British Conservative MPs. Rich Peppiatt, who directed the award-winning semi-autobiographical film about Kneecap, told AFP this week that the group was 'unfazed' by the legal charge and controversies. 'Even through all the controversy at the moment, they just shrug their shoulders and get on with it,' Peppiatt said. 'They've always been controversial at a local level, and they've always bounced back from it,' he added. Prominent British musicians and groups including Paul Weller, Massive Attack, Brian Eno, Pulp and Primal Scream have defended the group and denounced a 'concerted attempt to censor and de-platform Kneecap'. — AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Vandals use ‘Free Palestine' brick to smash Mass. Kosher grocery store window
Brookline police are investigating a vandalism in which a brick with the words 'Free Palestine' painted on it was used to smash the front window of a Kosher grocery store early Sunday morning. Officers began investigating the incident after the owner of The Butcherie notified police that a brick had been thrown through the Harvard Street store's front window overnight, Brookline police said in a press release. The words 'Free Palestine' were painted on the face of the brick in large red letters. Officers' preliminary investigation indicates that shortly after midnight, a group of masked suspects walked from Coolidge Street to The Butcherie and threw the brick through its front window, police said. The suspects then fled back down Coolidge Street without targeting any other businesses. Investigators have not determined exactly how many suspects were involved, but they believe there were at least two, police said. Any residents or businesses in the area who might have video footage related to this crime are asked to call Brookline detectives at 617-730-2711. Mass. double stabbing kills couple, orphans their child, police investigating Massachusetts lawyer sentenced for smuggling synthetic marijuana into prison Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz: Two lawmakers shot, one killed, in politically targeted shooting North Shore man sentenced to life for killing his 80-year-old mother Man accused of biting, kicking ICE, DEA officers during arrest in Marlborough Read the original article on MassLive.
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Suspect who allegedly torched NYPD cars, causing $800K in damage, identified as anti-Israel protester who's been in trouble before
The arson suspect accused of torching nearly a dozen NYPD cop cars in Brooklyn was identified Wednesday as an anti-Israel troublemaker with a string of protest-related arrests, cops said. The NYPD blasted out Jakhi Lodgson-McCray's photo on social media as they continue to hunt for the 21-year-old 'Free Palestine' protester who they said set fire to 11 cop cars last week — causing at least $800,000 in damage. He is also accused of wrecking a statue during a rowdy Columbia University protest. 'There is zero tolerance for anyone who attacks the NYPD,' the department said on X. 4 Jakhi Lodgson-McCray is suspected in the arson fire of 11 NYPD vehicles and damage to a Columbia University statue. DCPI 4 Police said 11 NYPD vehicles torched in Brooklyn on June 12 will cost at least $800,000 to replace. Gabriella Bass 'We believe that he acted alone,' NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said of the fiery June 12 incident near the Patrol Borough Brooklyn North headquarters. 'We have him on video for about 40 minutes prior to the incident. He is by himself, and, like I said, a substantial video canvass after the fact, where we track him all the way back to Manhattan. 'Several times during his escape, he changes his clothing,' Kenny said. 'He's wearing a hoodie cinched up so you can't see his face, and wearing a mask. But we do believe that he acted alone, and obviously he targeted this location because it is a police facility.' 4 Surveillance footage captured Jakhi Lodgson-McCray walking into a local bodega after allegedly torching NYPD cars. DCPI Police tracked down surveillance footage and identified Lodgson-McCray four days later, the chief said. But the cop car caper isn't the only reason police want to nab him. 'He's also wanted for a criminal mischief incident in Columbia University back in September, where he disguised himself as a student and caused over $1,000 of damage to a statue on the campus,' Kenny said. 'We believe, based on his social media, that he's very active in the protest community, involving the Free Palestine movement.' 4 Nearly a dozen NYPD vehicles torched on June 12 were parked down the block from Brooklyn Borough North HQ. Gabriella Bass Records show that Lodgson-McCray has a string of arrests dating to January 2023, including for resisting arrest at an anti-ICE protest last month, and a series of protests related busts that include burning a flag at a city embassy and at several anti-Israeli demonstrations. He currently has two open cases, the resisting arrest from May 28 in Manhattan, in which he was released without bail, and a May 15 assault and resisting charge in Queens, records show. Police are asking anyone with information to reach out to @NYPDTips or call 1-800-577 TIPS. .
