The planned performance of the Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap at our festival has stirred up a storm in recent weeks – not because of their music, but because of the question of whether we would allow them to perform or not. That decision has now been taken away from us by the government announcing that they have banned the group from entering Hungary.
This time, public discourse was not about the band’s original agenda, which addresses Irish-British historical tensions, but the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no good answer to this question – and perhaps that is the most honest admission we can make.
Although Kneecap already performed at Sziget without incident in 2022, they gained global prominence this spring following Coachella Festival when, among other things, “F*ck Israel” was projected onto a screen during their performance.
2023 footage then emerged allegedly showing one of them waving a Hezbollah flag on stage, leading to a member of the band being arrested and charged by British police.
Kneecap are not a typical band. They are political, raw, with lyrics mixing motifs of English colonisation, oppression, resistance, building on their own Northern Irish experiences. Their performances incorporate their support for Palestinians.
“Even if a festival claims not to be political, its performers carry political messages”
The band has said: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We do not give a fuck what religion anyone practices. We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are…”
Kneecap support the Palestinian cause, and they do so in their provocative way. I know that many people – including artists and individuals that I deeply respect – felt that by not banning their performance, Sziget itself was taking a political stance on an issue that deeply divides public opinion.
Critics argue that our decision not to remove them was problematic, not only because of the band’s message but because a new wave of antisemitism is sweeping the world. The support for Kneecap, say some, fits into this pattern – whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Others believe that highlighting the suffering of the Palestinian people and strongly criticising Israeli actions is not antisemitism but a humanitarian duty. The two interpretations coexist – and seem irreconcilable.
Sziget’s response – that we are committed to artistic freedom, we are not and will not be censors – is clear. However, this answer does not resolve the contradiction. Because even if a festival claims not to be political, its performers carry political messages. And when these messages tear open deep wounds, whether through my own example as a descendant of Holocaust survivors or concerning the fate of civilians living in Gaza, it cannot be dismissed by saying, “It’s just music.”
In this situation, every decision will hurt someone. If we had cancelled the performance, it would have acted as censorship and reinforced the feeling that Palestinian solidarity has no place in public. If we had kept it, then those who believe Kneecap represent one side rather than peace would have felt betrayed – in a conflict that is already unbearably polarised.
“We remain committed to the spirit of freedom of speech, which has been a core value of the festival for 30+ years”
I believe that Sziget in this case could only rely on its deepest values. We do not tolerate hate speech in any form, and this includes antisemitism. We clearly communicated this to the band. At the same time, we remain committed to the spirit of freedom of speech, which has been a core value of the festival for 30+ years.
The planned Kneecap performance made one thing very clear: globalised culture does not know how to handle the world’s injustices while providing space for art. And the audience does not know how to be simultaneously empathetic, sensitive, and yet open.
Prior to Sziget, Ádám Schönberger from Bankito Festival wrote: “Although the outrage surrounding Kneecap and their concert is completely understandable, the solution is not a restriction of generally accepted freedoms. A community renegotiation of language and concepts is essential – otherwise, only violent polarisation will remain, turning public discourse into trench warfare.”
We had hoped to play our part in this and are very disappointed that the government’s decision took that away from us.
Summing up, there’s no good answer. Because the pain is real – on both sides. The names of the dead do not compete with each other.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
The pain is real on both sides
Sziget Festival CEO Tamás Kádár addresses artistic freedom versus censorship in the wake of Kneecap being banned from Hungary
06 Aug 2025
The planned performance of the Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap at our festival has stirred up a storm in recent weeks – not because of their music, but because of the question of whether we would allow them to perform or not. That decision has now been taken away from us by the government announcing that they have banned the group from entering Hungary.
This time, public discourse was not about the band’s original agenda, which addresses Irish-British historical tensions, but the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no good answer to this question – and perhaps that is the most honest admission we can make.
Although Kneecap already performed at Sziget without incident in 2022, they gained global prominence this spring following Coachella Festival when, among other things, “F*ck Israel” was projected onto a screen during their performance.
2023 footage then emerged allegedly showing one of them waving a Hezbollah flag on stage, leading to a member of the band being arrested and charged by British police.
Kneecap are not a typical band. They are political, raw, with lyrics mixing motifs of English colonisation, oppression, resistance, building on their own Northern Irish experiences. Their performances incorporate their support for Palestinians.
The band has said: “Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We do not give a fuck what religion anyone practices. We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are…”
Kneecap support the Palestinian cause, and they do so in their provocative way. I know that many people – including artists and individuals that I deeply respect – felt that by not banning their performance, Sziget itself was taking a political stance on an issue that deeply divides public opinion.
Critics argue that our decision not to remove them was problematic, not only because of the band’s message but because a new wave of antisemitism is sweeping the world. The support for Kneecap, say some, fits into this pattern – whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Others believe that highlighting the suffering of the Palestinian people and strongly criticising Israeli actions is not antisemitism but a humanitarian duty. The two interpretations coexist – and seem irreconcilable.
Sziget’s response – that we are committed to artistic freedom, we are not and will not be censors – is clear. However, this answer does not resolve the contradiction. Because even if a festival claims not to be political, its performers carry political messages. And when these messages tear open deep wounds, whether through my own example as a descendant of Holocaust survivors or concerning the fate of civilians living in Gaza, it cannot be dismissed by saying, “It’s just music.”
In this situation, every decision will hurt someone. If we had cancelled the performance, it would have acted as censorship and reinforced the feeling that Palestinian solidarity has no place in public. If we had kept it, then those who believe Kneecap represent one side rather than peace would have felt betrayed – in a conflict that is already unbearably polarised.
I believe that Sziget in this case could only rely on its deepest values. We do not tolerate hate speech in any form, and this includes antisemitism. We clearly communicated this to the band. At the same time, we remain committed to the spirit of freedom of speech, which has been a core value of the festival for 30+ years.
The planned Kneecap performance made one thing very clear: globalised culture does not know how to handle the world’s injustices while providing space for art. And the audience does not know how to be simultaneously empathetic, sensitive, and yet open.
Prior to Sziget, Ádám Schönberger from Bankito Festival wrote: “Although the outrage surrounding Kneecap and their concert is completely understandable, the solution is not a restriction of generally accepted freedoms. A community renegotiation of language and concepts is essential – otherwise, only violent polarisation will remain, turning public discourse into trench warfare.”
We had hoped to play our part in this and are very disappointed that the government’s decision took that away from us.
Summing up, there’s no good answer. Because the pain is real – on both sides. The names of the dead do not compete with each other.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
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