The hip-hop trio, Kneecap, have officially responded to their travel ban from Hungary, according to an article by NME. The trio had a planned performance at the Budapest festival in Sziget, however, the government announced that they will not be able to enter the country. The Secretary of State, Zoltan Kovacs, announced the ban on the social media platform, X. The reason why the trio had been banned was because of the alleged anti-semitism that the trio had expressed before. “Hungary has zero tolerance for anti-Semitism in any form,” said Kovacs. The Secretary of State had gone on to say that the trio pose a national security threat, which is why they are banned for three years. 

After the trio had been banned, Kneecap has responded to the news as “fucking outrageous.” “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,” said Kneecap. “The authoritarian government of Viktor Orban say we ‘pose a national security threat’. Which is fucking outrageous coming from a man who welcomed Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal, like a hero just a few weeks ago.”

The trio had also said that there was no legal basis for the travel ban, nor has a member of Kneecap ever been convicted of a crime in any country. The trio noted that they stand against hate crimes and support love and solidarity. “It’s clear this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people,” said Kneecap. “Much like the good people of Budapest, who defied their own President’s ban on their ‘Pride Parade’ in June, we will fight on for what is right.”

A message for all who’d hoped to see us on stage at Sziget in 2 weeks pic.twitter.com/JKFuKIkAf4

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) July 24, 2025