Members of the Irish-language rap group Kneecap have brought a defamation lawsuit against Harvey Yesno, an indigenous political figure based in Canada.
The case follows a statement signed by Yesno that objected to Kneecap’s scheduled performances at venues located on indigenous ancestral lands in Canada. Kneecap say the statement falsely accused them of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and of condoning antisemitism and genocide, allegations the group denies.
At a hearing in Ireland, the High Court granted Kneecap permission to serve the legal proceedings on Yesno at an address in Ontario, in both Irish and English. The judge said Kneecap had met the legal test for an arguable defamation claim and that Ireland was an appropriate forum, noting the performers are Irish citizens and that their reputations and identity as Irish language and culture activists are closely connected to the jurisdiction.
The band is suing for damages, arguing the statement harmed their reputations after it was published and later widely republished and picked up by media outlets.
The complained-of statement initially appeared on the website of Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem, a pro-Israel organization, before being shared more broadly, according to the reporting. Yesno has not publicly commented on the case.
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