Irish Rap Group Kneecap Banned from Canada Over Alleged Support for Terrorism

Irish rap group Kneecap has been officially banned from entering Canada.

The Canadian government claims the trio promoted hate and supported terrorist groups, a move that has sparked major controversy just weeks before the band was set to begin a Canadian tour.

On Friday, Canadian MP Vince Gasparro, who also serves as the country's parliamentary secretary for combating crime, shared a video on social media explaining the decision.

He said Kneecap made statements "contrary to Canadian values and laws" and accused the group of glorifying terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, Billboard reported.

"This is not art or political speech," Gasparro said. "This is dangerous support for violence and hate."

Kneecap — made up of Mo Chara (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), Móglaí Bap (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), and DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh) — responded strongly.

In a statement posted to social media, the band called the claims "wholly untrue and deeply malicious," and said they are taking legal action against Gasparro. "No member of Kneecap has been convicted of any crime in any country ever," they wrote.

They added, "We will be relentless in defending ourselves against baseless accusations meant to silence our opposition to genocide being committed by Israel."

Kneecap Vows Gaza Donations if Court Case Is Won

The group promised that if they win their court case, they will donate the money to support children injured in Gaza.

The ban comes at a crucial time for the Belfast-based artists. They were scheduled to perform a series of shows in Canada this October.

According to DailyMail, the band issued an apology to their Canadian fans, saying, "We are sorry we cannot be with you next month, but we will not be silenced."

In recent performances, Kneecap has been outspoken about their pro-Palestinian views. The group has called Israel's actions in Gaza a "genocide," a term also used in a recent United Nations report.

However, this activism has brought growing scrutiny. Footage from earlier this year allegedly showed a band member chanting support for Hezbollah and Hamas.

In June, their Glastonbury performance was investigated by police in the UK but was not followed by charges.

Meanwhile, Ó hAnnaidh is due back in a UK court on September 26 to face charges related to alleged support for terrorism.

His legal team argues that the case should be dismissed due to a technical error in how it was filed.

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Kneecap, Canada, Banned