Kneecap Say They Haven't Received Any Formal Notice About Ban From Canada

Kneecap have yet to receive official confirmation of its ban in Canada.

Last Friday (September 19), the Irish hip hop trio was ruled ineligible to enter the country by Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Combating Crime Vince Gasparro in a video posted to X.

While the ban forces the group to forfeit scheduled concerts in Toronto and Vancouver next month, Kneecap’s manager, Dan Lambert, said that the band hasn’t gotten any communication from the federal government.

"Nobody has instructed Kneecap that they can't travel to Canada except Vince and his social media video," Lambert tells CBC News.

During Gasparro’s video, he claimed the trio “have amplified political violence and publicly displayed support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas," and said he was making the announcement "on behalf of the Government of Canada."

The ruling blocks Kneecap’s planned shows at Toronto’s History on October 14 and 15, as well as concerts at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre on October 22 and 23.

Soon after the news broke out, Kneecap rejected the claims in an Instagram statement addressed directly to Gasparro, calling his remarks “wholly untrue and deeply malicious.”

The trio added that they've instructed their lawyer to initiate legal action against Gasparro. “We will be relentless in defending ourselves against baseless accusations to silence our opposition to a genocide being committed by Israel,” they said.

Kneecap vowed that if they win in court, they will donate all damages to “some of the thousands of child amputees in Gaza.”

"We're pretty shocked that this could happen in Canada," Lambert said to CBC News, adding the band has played in Canada multiple times. He noted that the only country where the group has been banned is Hungary.

Lambert said the case is due in court on Friday, and he fully expects the band to win.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has yet to confirm Kneecap’s status to enter the country.

"All persons seeking to come to Canada must meet the eligibility and admissibility requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act," the department said in a statement to the publication.

They noted that cases are assessed individually, and entry may be refused for various reasons, "including concerns related to security, human or international rights violations or criminal activity."

The decision to ban Kneecap from entering Canada follows months of lobbying by organizations and politicians. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) had urged the federal government to deny visas to both Kneecap and the U.K. punk duo Bob Vylan, citing onstage incidents they say violated Canadian hate-speech laws and clashed with the country’s values.

In July, members of a group called the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem and city councillor James Pasternak called on major promoters Live Nation and MRG Group to cancel Kneecap’s Canadian shows, warning that Kneecap’s performances would spread “demonization and bigotry.”

Globally, Kneecap has drawn attention for its on-stage political statements — some of which have led to similar consequences.

The group displayed a “F--k Israel, Free Palestine” message during their Coachella performance in April, a move that led to their U.S. booking agent cutting ties.

In the U.K., member Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, is facing terrorism charges after allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a London concert last November. He was released on bail and will return to court on September 26.

The trio recently cancelled 15 U.S. shows, citing the proximity of Ó Hannaidh’s court hearing, further emphasizing the impact of legal proceedings on their international touring plans.