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Canadian authorities has prohibited Irish music group Kneecap from coming into the territory, saying the trio has "uttered statements that are contrary to Canadian values" and that these sparked "significant alarm".

The rap group was set to play in Toronto at multiple shows in autumn, and at additional ones in the west coast city.

Immigration officials cited terrorism related allegations leveled upon one artist of the trio, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, in the United Kingdom in spring, after he reportedly showcased a banner in solidarity of the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah – which the United Kingdom classifies as a terrorist entity – at a London show in 2023.

The artist denies the claims, with Kneecap describing the Canadian restriction "profoundly malicious" and warning of legal action.

Announcing the restriction on Monday, Canadian Liberal MP and spokesperson for Combating Crime Vince Gasparro said in a clip on the platform formerly known as Twitter that the band has "endorsed ideologically-driven force" and "publicly displayed solidarity for illegal entities including Hezbollah and Hamas."

"These statements are not expressions of creative expression or valid political discourse," Gasparro continued. "Such remarks are risky supports of force and intolerance."

The trio reacted to Gasparro in a post on the social media platform, writing that his statements are "completely inaccurate and profoundly ill-intentioned".

"We have today instructed our attorneys to initiate legal action against you," the trio said.

Mr Ó hAnnaidh had earlier rejected the UK charges facing him as a "partisan" case meant to silence Kneecap over its pro-Palestine stance.

"We recognize this situation is not just just about me and beyond Kneecap – this is a matter about Palestine and our group as a smokescreen from the real issue," he addressed a gathered group in London in August following his first hearing.

A decision over whether he would stand trial for the British allegations has been postponed, with the chief magistrate saying he would decide on 26 September.

In August, Kneecap revealed it was calling off its American performances, blaming Mr Ó hAnnaidh's court case. The trio was due to perform 15 concerts in key American cities in the fall.

Back then, the trio stated its four Canadian concerts in Vancouver and Toronto – to be performed in front of up to approximately seven thousand five hundred supporters – would nonetheless go ahead.

The band, initially from Northern Ireland, was let go by its US talent agency in April after a performance at Coachella where they presented signs that read "The Israeli government is perpetrating genocide upon the Palestine population" and "F**k Israel, Liberate Palestine."

The band's performers have also been scrutinized for their set in the music festival in June, with British leader Keir Starmer saying he did not think the performance would be "appropriate".

The group was created in 2017 by three artists who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, a second member and the group's DJ.

Their rise to fame led to a dramatized film including award-winning actor Michael Fassbender, which received a Bafta in early this year.