Particle.news
Download on the App Store
30 ARTICLES
·
38m ago

Canada Bars Irish Rap Trio Kneecap From Entering Country

Ottawa cites alleged amplification of political violence alongside displays of support for Hezbollah and Hamas.

Liam Og O Hannaidh, second right, a member of Kneecap, speaks to supporters as he departs Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Aug. 20. In May, British police charged Og O Hannaidh with a terrorism offence for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a 2024 concert. The rapper denied the offence.
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Parliamentary Secretary Vince Gasparro announced the decision in a video, saying officials deemed the group ineligible to enter under immigration rules to protect public safety and Jewish Canadians.
  • Kneecap’s October concerts in Toronto and Vancouver have been cancelled following the entry ban.
  • The band denies supporting terrorist groups, emphasizes that no member has been convicted of a crime, and says it has instructed lawyers to pursue legal action against Gasparro.
  • Member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (Mo Chara) faces a terrorism-related charge in the U.K. over an alleged Hezbollah flag incident, with a court hearing set for September 26 after the group already scrapped a U.S. tour citing that date.
  • Jewish advocacy groups including CIJA and B’nai Brith had urged Ottawa to act, and legal analysts note the band’s recourse is likely a judicial review of the ministerial inadmissibility decision rather than a full merits challenge.