Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove told the court: “It’s not about Mr O hAnnaidh’s support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel.

“He’s well within his rights to voice his opinions and solidarity, as is anybody else.

“The allegation in this case is a wholly different thing and deals with a video recording showing that, in November of last year, Mr O hAnnaidh wore and displayed the flag of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organisation, while saying ‘up Hamas, up Hezbollah’.

“Of course, support for the one is not the same as support for the other. So the issue in this case, and the reason it has come to court, it centres on the apparent support by Mr O hAnnaidh of a proscribed terrorist organisation.”