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The Canadian government has banned rap trio Kneecap from entering the country over allegedly “glorifying terrorist organisations” – with the band announcing they will take legal action against the “wholly untrue and deeply malicious” accusations.
The Belfast group, made up of Naoise Ó Cairealláin, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise, as well as their pro-Palestine stance.
They have repeatedly hit headlines this year, including in April when footage emerged that appeared to show a band member saying “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a gig; in June when their Glastonbury festival set was investigated by police who later said they would be taking “no further action”; and when Ó hAnnaidh has appeared in court charged with the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a show.
On Friday, Canada’s parliamentary secretary for combatting crime announced in a video on social media that Kneecap have been deemed ineligible to enter the country.
Vince Gasparro said: “Recently, the rap group Kneecap has engaged in actions and have made statements that are contrary to Canadian values and laws that have caused deep alarm to our government.
“The group have amplified political violence and publicly displayed support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
“These are not expressions of art or legitimate political critique, they are dangerous endorsements of violence and hate. Notably, one member of the band is currently facing terrorism-related charges in the United Kingdom.
“Criticism of foreign governments is protected under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, however advocating for political violence, glorifying terrorist organisations and displaying hate symbols that directly target the Jewish community are not protected forms of expression and will not be tolerated by our government.
“That is why, as parliamentary secretary for combating crime, I am announcing that, effective immediately, the members of Kneecap have been deemed ineligible to enter Canada.”
The trio responded with a statement on X, titled A Message to Vince Gasparro, in which they announced legal action and said they will beat the politician in court.
They said: “Your comments about us are wholly untrue and deeply malicious. We will not accept it.
“No member of Kneecap has been convicted of ANY crime in ANY country EVER.
“Whilst you outrageously try to claim we are antisemitic ‘the Times’ newspaper in England today wrote of our headline show in London last night as ‘emphatically anti-sectarian’.
“We have today instructed our lawyers to initiate legal action against you.
“We will be relentless in defending ourselves against baseless accusations to silence our opposition to a genocide being committed by Israel.
“When we beat you in court, which we will, we will donate every cent to assist some of the thousands of child amputees in Gaza.”
They also posted a message to their Canadian fans, saying that Canada’s immigration/eTA (electronic travel authorisation) authorities requested information from them, which they provided on Thursday, adding: “It is our view that when they realised there was no legal basis on which to stop us that they today, via Vince Gasparro, sought to maliciously misrepresent Kneecap.
“We have played in Canada many times with zero issues and a message of solidarity and love.
“We are sorry we cannot be with you next month but we will not be silenced and will always oppose genocide.”
It comes after a performance at London’s Wembley Arena on Thursday in which the trio addressed Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK, including with a message displayed on the wall before the start of the show that read: “Starmer welcomed Isaac Herzog to this city like a king last week. Today Trump is here, the man who permits the slaughter.”
Ó hAnnaidh will return to Westminster magistrates court on 26 September, after his legal team argued the case should be thrown out due to a technical error in the way the charge was brought against him.
At the adjourned hearing in September, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring will rule on whether he has the jurisdiction to try the case.
