Members of the Belfast-based Irish-language rap group Kneecap have been denied entry to Hungary and banned for three years ahead of their planned performance at the Sziget Festival on August 11.
Hungary’s immigration authority, the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, deemed Naoise Ó Cairealláin, J.J. Ó Dochartaigh, and Liam Óg ÓhAnnaidh's presence a "serious threat to national security," and government spokesman Zoltán Kovács cited "antisemitic hate speech and open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah" as grounds for the ban.
The trio, known for provocative, politically charged lyrics and anti-Israel messaging, has a history of controversy. At April's Coachella Festival, they projected a large "F--k Israel. Free Palestine." banner onstage while accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza—a display that reached the event's 125,000 attendees and a wider Twitch audience. In December, Liam Óg ÓhAnnaidh was charged under terrorism legislation in London for displaying a Hezbollah flag during a performance.
Hungarian Minister for European Affairs János Bóka, in a July 11 letter to Sziget organizers, underscored the government’s "zero-tolerance" approach to antisemitism. Dozens of Hungarian cultural figures backed the ban through a petition, and officials pressured the festival to drop the group.
Festival organizers condemned the decision as "unnecessary and regrettable," warning that it could harm both Sziget’s reputation and Hungary’s international standing. They reaffirmed their stance that while they reject all hate speech, "cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution," and stressed their commitment to artistic freedom.
Kneecap has defended their political stance, denying support for militant organizations and blaming critics for conflating their opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza with endorsement of extremist groups.