Rap group Kneecap says they will take legal action after being barred from Canada for 'antisemitism,' 'supporting terrorism'
Irish rap group Kneecap says they will take legal action after being deemed “ineligible to enter” Canada.
They have been accused of “displaying hate symbols that directly target the Jewish community” and supporting “terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas,” said Ontario MP Vince Gasparro on Friday. The decision to bar the group from Canada would be “effective immediately.”
In a post on Instagram , the group wrote a “message to Vince Gasparro and our many fans across Canada,” saying the comments made about them “are wholly untrue and deeply malicious.”
“We will not accept it. No member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country ever,” the statement said. “We have today instructed our lawyers to take legal action against you.”
In a video posted on X, Gasparro, who is the parliamentary secretary for combatting crime, said that Canada “stands firmly against hate speech, incitements to violence and the glorification of terrorism.”
“Our government remains steadfast in protecting all Canadians, and, in this instance Jewish Canadians, from antisemitism and hate more broadly,” he said.
On behalf of the Government of Canada I am announcing that on the advice of our officials, we have deemed the group Kneecap ineligible to enter our country.
— Vince Gasparro (@vgasparro) September 19, 2025
Our government will not tolerate the advocating of political violence, terrorism or Anti-Semitism and hate more broadly. pic.twitter.com/3KOf84G3bZ
He said the group “has engaged in actions and have made statements that are contrary to Canadian values and laws that have caused deep alarm to our government.”
“The group have amplified political violence and publicly displayed support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. These are not expressions of art or legitimate political critique. They are dangerous endorsements of violence and hate,” he said.
Kneecap, made up of three members, had scheduled concerts at HISTORY in Toronto and at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver in October.
Gasparro also made reference to the fact that one of the group’s members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who goes by stage name Mo Chara, is “currently facing terrorism related charges in the United Kingdom.”
At a concert in London in November 2024, Ó hAnnaidh allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag and was charged with a terror offence, BBC News reported in May . The group denied the offence and said they would “vehemently defend ourselves.”
The group’s performance at the Glastonbury music festival over the summer made headlines for comments they allegedly made, which led to a police investigation of their performance, The Guardian reported . Police said Kneecap led chants such as, “F–k Keir Starmer.” The investigation was later dropped by police.
The BBC said at the time that it would not broadcast Kneecap’s Glastonbury performance live. “Whilst the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines,” the publication said, although it would “look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap’s performance” on its digital platforms.
“The BBC editor is going to have some job,” Ó hAnnaidh said about the concert, in reference to the hundreds of Palestinians flags that were being waved, blocking the stage, per The Guardian.
In late June, Jewish advocacy group, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), wrote to the Canadian government, urging them not allow Kneecap to perform in the country.
In July, Indigenous leaders penned a letter saying that “allowing (Kneecap) to play in Canada would be a stain on our country’s reputation.” They said the group “outwardly supported antisemitism, genocide, and the indiscriminate murder of civilians.”
After Gasparro’s announcement on Friday, CIJA’s CEO released a statement in a post on X .
“The federal government made the right decision to deem the band members of Kneecap ineligible to enter Canada. Incitement, hate and radicalization have no place in this country. Not on our airwaves. Not on campus. And not on stage,” he said. “Governments must continue to act decisively to protect Canadians from terrorist groups, violent extremists, and their supporters here in Canada.”
Jewish advocacy group, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC), also posted a statement on Friday.
“For months, FSWC, alongside other Jewish organizations, has warned against giving the hateful Irish rap group Kneecap a platform, given its history of glorifying terror groups and inciting hate and violence,” it said in a post on X.
“Today, Canada listened. We applaud the Canadian government for officially barring Kneecap from entering the country, as announced this morning by MP @vgasparro . Terrorist supporters have no place here.”
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