The 34th Bálványos Summer University will host 500 events and 1,000 speakers under the motto “You can count on us,” providing a cultural and political platform for pragmatic Transylvanianism and realistic conservatism.Continue reading
A member of the Northern Irish band Kneecap invited to perform at the Sziget Festival has been banned for three years due to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements, Magyar Nemzet reported. The ban was imposed on national security grounds and is final and non-appealable.
The Hungarian authorities’ decision may have been influenced by the band’s performance at the Glastonbury Festival, where Kneecap members projected the words “Fuck Israel” onto the stage while waving Palestinian flags and making anti-Israel statements. After the concert, the UK authorities also launched an investigation, but it was later closed.
The actions of the band, which had originally been invited to perform at Sziget Festival, sparked a wave of protests in Hungary. The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz), the Rabbinical Council, and other civil and religious organizations also spoke out against the performance.
According to their statement, featuring performers who “glorify terrorists and use anti-Semitic rhetoric” does not fall within the scope of freedom of expression.
Several petitions were launched, and some performers canceled their appearances at Sziget out of solidarity or protest. The Hungarian National Dance Ensemble, for example, announced its withdrawal in an open letter, and other artists followed suit.
In response to the criticism, the organizers of Sziget emphasized that the festival has always been a platform for freedom of expression, where everyone can express their opinion, even if others disagree with it. At the same time, they stressed that Kneecap’s performance is not interpreted as a political statement, but as an artistic program.
For the time being, the band remains on the festival’s official program, but according to the decision of the Hungarian authorities, Mo Chara, one of the band’s front men, will not be allowed to enter the country. This calls into question whether the concert will take place, as Kneecap is a three-piece band and it is unclear whether they will perform without Mo Chara.
The organizers of Sziget festival have just released an official statement in which they shared that they fear the government’s decision will not only damage the reputation of the festival, but it will also negatively affect Hungary’s standing worldwide. In their opinion, “cancel culture and cultural boycott is not the solution.”
The band has not yet officially commented on the ban, but several British and Irish media outlets have reported on the case.
Via Magyar Nemzet; Featured photo:Wikimedia Commons