The Hungarian government has barred Irish rap group Kneecap from entering the country for three years and performing at the upcoming Sziget festival, accusing the band of “antisemitic hate speech”.

The Belfast group has made headlines in recent months after it sharply criticised Israel and its military campaign in Gaza.

“Hungary’s government has moved to ban Kneecap from entering the country and performing at Sziget festival — citing antisemitic hate speech and open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah as justification,” government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs wrote on X.

“Granting them a stage normalises hate and terror, and puts democratic values on the line,” Kovacs wrote, citing Hungary’s “duty to protect” its Jewish community.