Irish language band Kneecap barred from Canada over UK terror charges

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Canada has banned Irish language band Kneecap from entering the country, saying the group has "made statements that are contrary to Canadian values" that "have caused deep alarm".

The hip-hop trio was due to perform in Toronto at two shows in October, and at another in Vancouver.

Canadian officials cited terror offence charges brought against one member of the group, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, in the UK in May, after he allegedly displayed a flag in support of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah - which the UK considers a terrorist organisation - at a London gig last year.

The 27-year-old denies the charges, with Kneecap calling the Canadian ban "deeply malicious" and threatening legal action.

Announcing the ban on Monday, Canadian Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Combating Crime Vince Gasparro said in a video on X that "the group have amplified political violence and publicly displayed support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah and Hamas."

"These are not expressions of art or legitimate political critique," Gasparro said. "They are dangerous endorsements of violence and hate."

The group responded to Gasparro in a post on X, writing that his statements are "wholly untrue and deeply malicious".

"We have today instructed our lawyers to initiate legal action against you," the group said.

Mr Ó hAnnaidh had previously dismissed the UK charges against him as a "political" case intended to silence Kneecap over its pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"We know this story is more than just about me and more than Kneecap – this is a story about Palestine and us as a distraction from the real story," he told a gathered crowd in London in August following his first court appearance.

A decision over whether he would stand trial for the UK charges has been delayed, with the chief magistrate saying he would make a decision on 26 September.

In August, Kneecap announced it was cancelling its US tour, citing Mr Ó hAnnaidh's legal battle. The group was due to perform 15 shows in major American cities in October. At the time, the band said its Canadian shows in Vancouver and Toronto would still go ahead.

The group, originally from Belfast, was dropped by its US booking agent in April after a show at Coachella where they displayed messages that read "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people" and "F**k Israel, Free Palestine."

They have also come under fire for their performance in Glastonbury in June, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying he did not think it would be "appropriate".

The group was formed in 2017 by three musicians who go by the stage names of Mo Chara (the alias used by Mr Ó hAnnaidh), Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí.

Their rise to fame inspired a semi-fictionalised film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender, which won a British Academy of Film Award (Bafta) in February.

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