Overview

• Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs said granting Kneecap a platform 'normalizes hate and terror' and threatens democratic values, citing a duty to protect Hungary’s sizable Jewish community.
• Israel’s ambassador Maya Kadosh praised Hungary’s clear stance while Sziget festival organizers lamented what they called a precedent-setting exclusion.
• Nearly 300 Hungarian artists signed a petition condemning hate speech but warned that cultural boycotts undermine free expression.
• Kneecap denounced the measure as a baseless political diversion aimed at silencing critics of the Palestinian situation.
• Frontman Liam O’Hanna, known as Mo Chara, is due in a London court on August 20 on terrorism-related charges for displaying a Hezbollah flag at a 2024 concert.