The NorthSide festival will proceed with including the hip-hop trio Kneecap in its lineup, despite one member facing a terrorism offense charge in the UK. The festival confirmed their decision amidst the controversy surrounding Liam O’Hanna, a member of Kneecap.

Liam O’Hanna is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a London concert in the previous year. British authorities initiated an investigation into O’Hanna’s actions after a video surfaced showing him allegedly waving the flag.

The charges against O’Hanna relate to violating British anti-terrorism laws by showing support for a banned organization. He is accused of displaying the flag “in such a way or under such circumstances that there is a reasonable suspicion that he supports a prohibited organization.”

Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim movement founded in 1982, has a history of attacks on various targets, including American ones. The group has also been a key ally of Hamas in Gaza.

In response to the charges, Kneecap has asserted that they do not support Hamas or Hezbollah. They claim the video has been misrepresented and taken out of context.

The NorthSide festival acknowledges awareness of the situation and states that they are actively communicating with relevant parties. The festival has chosen not to provide further details regarding the reasons behind their decision to keep Kneecap on the program.