Kneecap respond after being banned from Hungary ahead of festival appearance
The rap group, who have been outspoken on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, were due to play Sziget festival — one of the biggest festivals in Europe that have a large number of Irish people that go annually — on August 11.
However, the Minister of Communications in Hungary Zoltan Kovacs said that Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí were banned from the country for three years, claiming that they have made anti-semitic comments and glorified terrorist organisations. Kneecap have been banned from Hungary before they were due to play a festival in the country, over what their government deemed 'anti semitic' comments. Pic: James Veysey/Shutterstock
'@Kneecapceol are officially banned from entering Hungary—for antisemitism and glorifying terror,' Kovacs wrote on Twitter (X). 'When hate ignores the mail, we put it on a wall. This is what we call 'service by public notice.' In plain English: if you won't read the letter, you'll see it on the poster.'
He attached a letter, that is in Hungarian, outlining the ban, but Sziget festival organisers have called the ban 'unnecessary and regrettable,' and that they have been liaising with Kneecap who said that their set won't contravene Sziget's values or Hungarian law.
The band have since confirmed that they won't be performing at the festival, taking aim at the Órban government and saying that there's 'no legal basis' for the ban. Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Provaí of Kneecap performing at Glastonbury. Pic: Ki Price/WireImage
'The authoritarian government of Viktor Órban say we 'pose a national security threat.' Which is f***ing outrageous coming from a man who welcomed Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal, like a hero just a few weeks ago,' the band said.
'There is no legal basis for his actions, no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country. We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices where we see it.
'It's clear that this is a political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people. Much like the good people of Budapest, who defied their own President's ban on their 'pride parade' in June, we will fight for what is right.' The band have called out the Hungarian government's decision, saying that them posing a national security threat is 'f***ing ridiculous.' Pic: Sony Pictures/Everett/REX/Shutterstock
'Sziget Festival's values mean we condemn hate speech, while guaranteeing the fundamental right to artistic freedom of expression for every performer. Cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution,' a statement from Sziget's organisers have said.
'Sziget Festival will continue to do everything in its power to remain, in every sense, The Island of Freedom.'
The Hungarian government, led by Viktor Órban, are a close ally of Israel, having removed themselves from the International Criminal Court — where there's a warrant out for Prime Minister Benjamin Netnanyahu's arrest — and hosted Netanyahu on a state visit.
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