The troubles continue mounting for Irish hip-hop band Kneecap members as Hungarian authorities have prohibited their entry into the country before their scheduled Sziget Festival appearance, with state officials declaring their presence represents a national security risk.
An Associated Press report indicated the group was set to perform on the festival's final day, August 11. During their career, the band has drawn criticism for incorporating political statements in their lyrics that many interpret as celebrating terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
This past April, the band's Coachella festival appearance generated significant controversy. Large, illuminated screen messages proclaimed "F*** Israel, Free Palestine" and "Israel is committing genocide." The inflammatory declarations prompted calls to revoke their American citizenship and led to the cancellation of subsequent performances.
Hungary's immigration service, the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, issued official orders on Thursday stating band members face a three-year ban from Hungarian territory because "their entry and presence would constitute a serious threat to national security."
Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs posted on X that the entry prohibition decision resulted from "antisemitic hate speech and explicit praise for Hamas and Hezbollah."
Hungarian officials and various organizations had previously lobbied Sziget Festival organizers to remove the band from the lineup. European Affairs Minister Janos Boka stressed the government's "zero tolerance" antisemitism stance in a July 11 letter to the hosting nation. Simultaneously, hundreds of Hungarian music and cultural industry professionals signed a petition demanding the performance cancellation.
