Hungary bans KNEECAP from entry ahead of festival gig

Hungarian authorities have banned KNEECAP from entering the country and performing at the Sziget Festival next month over claims of hate speech, according to a government spokesperson.

Zoltán Kovács, Hungary's international spokesperson and Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán's personal spokesperson, announced the news on X this morning.

"Hungary's government has moved to ban Kneecap from entering the country and performing at Sziget...citing antisemitic hate speech and open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah as justification," Kovács wrote.

"The government insists that festival organizers must ensure compliance with Hungarian law and morally sound programming. The real issue: this isn’t just protest – it’s support for terror, celebration of extremist violence and a clear anti‑Semitic statement. Granting them a stage normalizes hate and terror, and puts democratic values on the line."

In later posts, Kovács provided official government documents from Hungary's National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing announcing their decision to ban each member of the band for three years. He claimed their planned Sziget show "posed a national security threat."

In a statement on Instagram this afternoon, Sziget organisers called the ban "an unprecedented move which we believe is both unnecessary and regrettable." According to the statement, organisers have communicated with both the Hungarian government and KNEECAP regarding the performance, with the band assuring Sziget they would not infringe on the festival's values or Hungarian law.

"Sziget Festival's values mean we condemn hate speech, while guaranteeing the fundamental right to artistic freedom of expression for every performer. Cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution," the statement read.

"We fear that government's decision announced today to ban Kneecap may not only damage the reputation of Sziget, but also negatively affect Hungary's standing worldwide."

 

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The Hungarian government reportedly requested KNEECAP be removed from the Sziget lineup in the past. and a petition protesting their performance was signed by over 150 Hungarian public figures. KNEECAP had planned to perform on the final day of the festival on August 11 alongside Chappell Roan, Kingfishr and more.

Daniel Lambert, KNEECAP's manager and former advisor to Ireland at the United Nations, called the ban a "political distraction" in a post on X. He denounced the Hungarian governments support of Israel, writing, "Hungary is clearly led by fascists."

Hungary is clearly led by fascists.

The only EU member to leave the ICC to allow them welcome wanted war criminal Netanyahu as a hero, have the audacity to call Kneecap "a threat to national security".

The whole world can see it for what it is - political distraction. pic.twitter.com/UphmphC3XN

— Daniel Lambert (@dlLambo) July 24, 2025

This afternoon, KNEECAP released a statement across their social media responding to the ban.

"To the tens of thousands of fans who we were buzzing to see in person at Sziget, we're sorry we won't be with you," KNEECAP wrote.

They called the ban "fucking outrageous," given that Orbán warmly welcomed Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest earlier this year.

"We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices where we see it," KNEECAP wrote.

"It's clear this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people."

KNEECAP have faced a series of gig cancellations and criticism for their vocal support of Palestine.

At Glastonbury in June, an investigation was launched into the band's performance due to their political chants, though it recently ended. They were dropped from the lineup of Glasgow's TRNSMT due to safety concerns from local police. The host city of the upcoming Rock-en-Seine festival withdrew €40,000 in funding for the event due to its booking of KNEECAP, and on Monday, a pro-Israel advocacy group appealed to the Canadian government to ban KNEECAP from entering and performing in the country.

The band previously faced terrorism charges for allegedly saying "kill your MP" at a 2023 concert, which have since been dropped. Member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was individually charged for reportedly holding a Hezbollah flag at a concert. The group argued that the charges are politically motivated for their criticism of Israel's occupation of Gaza and of British presence in Ireland.