Ottawa, ON – The federal government has barred the Irish rap group Kneecap from entering Canada, citing the band’s alleged public support for terrorist organizations and endorsement of political violence. The move comes just weeks before the group was scheduled to perform at Toronto’s History nightclub on October 14 and 15, with a second Canadian stop planned in Vancouver.
Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, parliamentary secretary for combating crime, made the announcement in a video statement released on social media Friday morning. Gasparro said Kneecap has “publicly displayed support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas” in ways that go beyond protected artistic expression.
Jewish advocacy groups, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and B’nai Brith Canada, had been calling for the ban since June, arguing that some of the group’s public statements incited antisemitism. Following the government’s decision, CIJA praised the move as a “stand against incitement, hate, and radicalization,” while B’nai Brith called the announcement a “victory” for Canadian communities concerned about extremist messaging.
The announcement did not mention the British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, who had been the subject of similar concerns raised by Jewish organizations.
The Canadian Press has reached out to Kneecap for comment on the ban, but no response has been reported at this time.