Hungary bans Irish rap group Kneecap from entering country over 'antisemitic hate speech'

Hungarian authorities person banned the Irish rap radical Kneecap from entering the country, accusing them of engaging successful "antisemitic hatred speech" and "supporting terrorism". 

Kneecap were acceptable to execute astatine the Sziget Festival, taking spot from 6 to 11 August successful Budapest.

The Belfast-based band, which often shares pro-Palestinian messages during its shows, has attracted contention successful caller months aft accusing the Israeli authorities of committing "genocide" successful Gaza.

Hungarian authorities spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs said connected Thursday that the band's members "repeatedly prosecute successful antisemitic hatred code supporting coercion and violent groups".

"Hungary has zero tolerance for antisemitism successful immoderate form," Kovacs said successful a station connected X, adding that the band's planned show "posed a nationalist information threat," and the set has truthful been formally banned from entering Hungary for 3 years.

"If they enter, expulsion volition travel nether planetary norms," Kovacs added.

Responding to the spokesman's comments, Kneecap said "there is nary ineligible basis" for Hungary's determination and that "no subordinate of Kneecap has ever been convicted of immoderate transgression successful immoderate country".

"It is wide that this is simply a governmental distraction and a further effort to soundlessness those who telephone retired genocide against the Palestinian people," the set said successful a statement connected X.

During Kneecap's gig astatine Britain's Glastonbury Festival successful June, frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, performing nether the signifier sanction Mo Chara, accused Israel of warfare crimes successful Gaza.

Ahead of the gig, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said helium doesn't deliberation Kneecap's planned show was "appropriate".

Following Kneecap's show astatine Glastonbury, a transgression probe was launched into comments made connected signifier by the trio. However, constabulary yet decided not to prosecute further action, citing "insufficient grounds to supply a realistic imaginable of condemnation for immoderate offence".

Kneecap called the probe "political policing intimidation".

Mo Chara has been formally charged with a coercion offence aft allegedly displaying a emblem successful enactment of the militant radical Hezbollah during a gig successful November. He denies the offence.

Hezbollah is designated arsenic a violent organisation by the UK and the US.