Kneecap respond to Canada ban and announce legal action against MP for “deeply malicious” comments
Kneecap have responded after the Canadian MP Vince Gasparro announced they were barred from entering the country.
Taking to social media on September 19th, Gasparro attached a video announcing Kneecap’s ban along with the caption, “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. Our government will not tolerate the advocating of political violence, terrorism or Anti-Semitism and hate more broadly.”
In the video, Gasparro, who is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, alleged that “the group have amplified political violence and publicly displayed support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah and Hamas.”
Gasparro added that their alleged past actions “are not expressions of art of legitimate political critique, they are dangerous endorsements of violence and hate”. He went on to explicitly discuss the ongoing terror charge, insisting their alleged behaviour will “not be tolerated by our government”.
Kneecap’s Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, was charged with a terror offence in May relating to his alleged conduct at a concert last November. However, he has not been found guilty of any charges. Ó Hannaidh is next due in court on September 26th.
In response to Gasparro’s remarks, Kneecap said in a statement: “Your comments about us are wholly untrue and deeply malicious. We will not accept it. No member of Kneecap has been convicted of ANY crime in ANY country EVER.”
Their message continued, “Whilst you outrageously try to claim we are antisemitic ‘the Times’ newspaper in England today wrote of our headline show in London last ight as ’emphatically anti-sectarian’. We have today instructed our lawyers to initiate legal action against you. We will be relentless in defending ourselves to a genocide being committed by Israel.”
Kneecap concluded, “When we beat you in court, which we will, we will donate every cent to assist some of the thousands of child amputees in Gaza.”
Additionally, Kneecap issued a message to their fanbase in Canada explaining the situation and confirmed their four planned concerts would no longer be taking place in October. The band claimed that “significant Zionist lobby groups (Allied Voices for Israel, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs & Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem)” had attempted to “influence your government and its representatives through serious misinformation which we are acting against legally”.
Kneecap also said that on September 18th, they “responded with all the information requested of us” regarding the necessary paperwork required for them to tour. They alleged, “It is our view that when they realised there was no legal basis on which to stup us that they today, via Vince Gasparro, sought to maliciously misrepresent Kneecap”.
The Irish trio then highlighted that they “have played in Canada many times with zero issues” and apologised for the cancellation. Their message concluded, “Use your voices in Canada – stand up and speak out.”
Kneecap previously cancelled the US leg of their North American tour due to their ongoing legal issues, but remain scheduled to deliver their biggest tour of the UK and Ireland later this year. Last night, they headlined Wembley Arena in London.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.