Irish band Kneecap says Canada ban aims to ‘silence opposition to genocide’

The Irish rap radical has been denied introduction for their alleged enactment for Hamas and Hezbollah, accusations the radical denies.

Irish set Kneecap has slammed the Canadian authorities for banning the rap trio from entering the state implicit accusations that it was endorsing governmental unit and coercion by supporting groups similar Hamas and Hezbollah.

Kneecap has emerged arsenic 1 of the astir arguable groups successful the euphony business, with gigs cancelled and the rappers barred from different countries implicit their strident pro-Palestinian stance.

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Vince Gasparro, a Liberal subordinate of the Canadian parliament and parliamentary caput for combating crime, connected Friday said Kneecap members were deemed ineligible for introduction due to the fact that of actions and statements that interruption Canadian law.

Kneecap has “publicly displayed enactment for violent organisations specified arsenic Hezbollah and Hamas” that goes beyond creator expression, said Gasparro successful a video connected societal media.

“Canada stands firmly against hatred speech, incitement to unit and the glorification of terrorism. Political statement and escaped code are captious to our democracy, but unfastened endorsements of violent groups are not escaped speech,” helium said.

Canada designated some Hamas and Hezbollah arsenic violent organisations successful 2002.

In response, Kneecap said Gasparro’s comments are “wholly untrue and profoundly malicious” and threatened to instrumentality ineligible enactment against him.

“We volition beryllium relentless successful defending ourselves against baseless accusations to soundlessness our absorption to a genocide being committed by Israel,” it said successful a societal media post. “There is nary ineligible ground for his actions, nary subordinate of Kneecap has ever been convicted of a transgression successful immoderate country.”

Kneecap was scheduled to execute successful Toronto and Vancouver adjacent month.

A connection to Vince Gasparro and our galore fans crossed Canada. 👇 https://t.co/66avCapPgn pic.twitter.com/ySsrgpMs6J

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) September 19, 2025

Canada’s migration ministry declined to remark connected the matter, citing privateness reasons.

The Canada-based advocacy organisation Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said the government’s determination was a basal against “incitement, hatred and radicalisation”, portion Jewish organisation B’nai Brith called it a “victory”.

Kneecap has faced disapproval for governmental statements seeming to glorify Palestinian radical Hamas and Lebanese radical Hezbollah, with festivals similar Germany’s Hurricane and Southside dropping them from their lineups this past summer.

In May, radical subordinate Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who was initially charged nether the Anglicised sanction Liam O’Hanna, and who performs nether the signifier sanction Mo Chara, was charged with a coercion offence successful the United Kingdom for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah emblem during a show successful London successful November 2024. He denies the offence, saying the emblem was thrown connected signifier during the group’s performance.

Kneecap has accused critics of trying to soundlessness the set due to the fact that of its enactment for the Palestinian origin passim Israel’s warfare successful Gaza, which has killed much than 65,000 radical and reduced overmuch of the enclave to rubble since it began successful October 2023. They accidental they bash not enactment Hezbollah and Hamas, nor condone violence.

In July, Hungary slapped a three-year prohibition connected the Belfast-based group, who had been owed to execute astatine the Sziget Festival successful Budapest successful August.

Kneecap performed successful April astatine the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival successful California, wherever they accused Israel – enabled by the US authorities – of committing genocide against the Palestinians. That prompted calls for the rappers’ US visas to beryllium revoked, and respective Kneecap gigs person since been cancelled arsenic a result.