10 days after Liberal says Kneecap barred from Canada, band has ‘no notice’

Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, the parliamentary secretary for combating crime who announced Kneecap's ban, and the federal government have refused to comment further.

Controversial Irish hip-hop group Kneecap has still not received official notice from the Canadian government about whether they are barred from entering Canada, the band’s manager said Monday, 10 days after their apparent entry ban was announced.

“No notice on anything,” band manager Daniel Lambert told Global News in an email, “just Vince’s social media video.”

Lambert was referring to Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, the parliamentary secretary for combating crime, who posted a video to his social media on Sept. 19 saying the government has deemed Kneecap’s members ineligible to enter Canada.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada I am announcing that on the advice of our officials, we have deemed the group Kneecap ineligible to enter our country,” Gasparro said in the post.

Kneecap, which has been outspoken in its support of the Palestinian people and opposition to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, was scheduled to perform next month in Toronto and Vancouver.

Gasparro said in the video the group has endorsed political violence and terrorism, and noted one member was facing “terrorism-related charges” in the United Kingdom.

A British judge on Friday dismissed the case against Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh —also known by his stage name Mo Chara, which means “my friend” in Irish — who had been charged after waving a flag of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah during a London concert last year.

Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organization in both the U.K. and Canada.