Christopher BarrettWith the Hungarian Government having banned Kneecap from entering the country ahead of their performance at Sziget, the festival’s organisers have called the move unnecessary and unprecedented.
The controversial rap act from Belfast was due to perform on 11 August at the 92,000-capacity festival in Budapest but have been informed that they have been banned from Hungary for three years.
Organisers of the Superstruct owned festival, due to take place from 6-11 August, said the banning of Kneecap from Hungary, and therefore the festival, could negatively impact the country’s global reputation.
One of the biggest festivals in Europe, Sziget (‘Island’ in Hungarian) is held in northern Budapest, on Óbudai-sziget, a 108-hectare island on the Danube. More than 1,000 performances take place each year, with this year’s headline artists including Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and Post Malone.
In a statement Sziget’s management said, “Following concerns raised by Government and pressure groups across Hungary over the past weeks at the prospect of Kneecap performing, we have liaised closely with the band and they reassured us that their performance would not contravene either Sziget’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.
“Over the past 30 years, Sziget has served as a free and safe place for different cultures, hosting artists and visitors from around the world , earning significant recognition in the international community and enhancing Hungary’s reputation. 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.
“Sziget Festival will continue to do everything in its power to remain, in every sense, the Island of Freedom.”