Kneecap have been barred from coming into Canada forward of a scheduled tour within the nation set to get underway in October.
Vince Gasparro, Eglinton-Lawrence MP and parliamentary secretary for combating crime, mentioned the Irish rap group “amplified political violence and publicly displayed assist for organizations designated as terrorist teams in Canada, reminiscent of Hezbollah and Hamas.”
“These usually are not expressions of artwork or reliable political critique, they’re harmful endorsements of violence and hate,” Gasparro added.
In a subsequent assertion, Kneecap promised to pursue authorized motion towards Gasparro for his “wholly unfaithful and deeply malicious” feedback. The group additionally claimed that a number of “Zionist foyer teams” participated in an affect marketing campaign that preceded right now’s announcement.
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Kneecap member Mo Chara is at the moment dealing with a terror offense cost within the UK stemming from a November 2024 live performance during which he allegedly flew a flag in assist of Hezbollah. The group has denied ever supporting Hamas or Hezbollah, and mentioned footage of the alleged live performance in query has been “intentionally taken out of all context” and is “being exploited and weaponised, as if it have been a name to motion.”
Kneecap have been additionally briefly investigated by UK authorities following their efficiency Glastonbury over the summer time, the place they led chants of “Fuck [UK Prime Minister] Keir Starmer” and “Free, free Palestine.” The investigation was ultimately dropped, with officers citing “inadequate proof to offer a sensible prospect of conviction for any offense.”
Because of the scheduling considerations tied to Chara’s court docket proceedings, Kneecap have been forced to cancel their US tour scheduled in October. The band subsequently introduced a special one-off livestream concert for followers within the US going down on October tenth.
