Latest news with #Kovacs
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
N.H. restaurant owner who alleged conspiracy of retaliation by police reaches $75,000 settlement
Unlike Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up 'Even if I didn't receive the outcome I desired, it still briefly held them accountable, at least in the media and in the public, and shined the spotlight on people in positions of power behaving poorly,' she said. Advertisement The story began in July 2022, when Kovacs turned to the Franklin Police Department for help after she and her business were bombarded with anonymous phone calls, fake reviews, and antisemitic messages after she condemned a white supremacist group online. Kovacs was unsatisfied with how officers handled her complaint, so she publicly criticized the department — and Police Chief David Goldstein responded by Advertisement Goldstein also strongly implied that the officer who was dating Kovacs at the time would need to choose between his girlfriend and his job, since Kovacs was promoting 'anti-law enforcement attitudes and behaviors.' News coverage spurred public debate over how Franklin officials had responded to Kovacs and how leaders everywhere should tackle bias-related incidents. Kovacs filed her lawsuit in August 2023 against the city, its police department, and eight local officials, including Goldstein, the mayor, and certain city councilors. Her attorneys, The lawsuit accused city officials of intentionally inflicting emotional distress on Kovacs, including by commenting publicly about her mental health and saying she looked 'like a thug' when she criticized police. The lawsuit also accused local officials of violating the state's public records law and trying to interfere with Kovacs's plans to meet with the New Hampshire Department of Justice's Civil Rights Unit. Officials denied the allegations, and one by one, most of them left their posts: The mayor The defendants have perhaps moved on collectively as well. Their attorneys did not respond to a request for comment. A judge in Merrimack County Superior Court signed off Friday on the joint stipulation to dismiss Kovacs's case. The $75,000 payment is due within two weeks, according to a copy of the settlement agreement. Advertisement Miriam Kovacs, owner of the Broken Spoon in Franklin, N.H., accused the city, its police department, and eight local officials of conspiring to deprive her of her First Amendment rights. Steven Porter/Globe Staff Looking ahead, Kovacs sees an uncertain future for the Broken Spoon. After closing her dine-in business temporarily in 2023, she reopened for much of 2024, but found business was considerably slower. She shuttered the eatery again, as she explores other business models, including catering and wholesale options. As far as her storefront in Franklin is concerned, Kovacs said she expects to close that permanently by the end of the year, though she hopes to hold This story appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. To receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Steven Porter can be reached at
Sunday World
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Hungary bans Kneecap from entering country over ‘antisemitic hate speech'
Representatives of Kneecap did not immediately reply to requests for comment Hungarian authorities have banned Irish rap group Kneecap from entering the country to perform at the Sziget Festival, accusing the band of using antisemitic hate speech and praising the Hamas militant group, a government spokesperson said on Thursday. "Hungary's government has moved to ban Kneecap from entering the country and performing at Sziget ... citing antisemitic hate speech and open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah as justification," government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs wrote in a post on X. Kovacs later posted the official letters from immigration authorities banning the band for three years, claiming that their entry would "seriously threaten national security". In May, member Mo Chara was charged with a terrorism offence in Britain for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed Hezbollah. He denies the offence. Representatives of Kneecap did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The band has said previously that its members do not support Hamas or Hezbollah, and that it condemns "all attacks on civilians, always". Hungary's government had already asked festival organisers to drop Kneecap from the line-up at the week-long event, which draws several hundred thousand music lovers to an island in the River Danube each year. More than 150 artists and cultural figures, including Academy Award-winning director Laszlo Nemes Jeles, have also signed a petition protesting against Kneecap's participation. Sziget organisers, who said they had not been notified of the government's decision, have resisted the calls to scrap Kneecap's planned performance on August 11. "Our festival remains true to what we have consistently achieved over the past 30 years: there is no place for hatred, incitement, prejudice, or any form of racism or anti-Semitism," they said in a statement last week. Sziget's other performers this year include Post Malone, Shawn Mendes and Charli XCX.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Hungary bans Kneecap from Sziget festival over antisemitism claims
BUDAPEST: The Hungarian government has banned Irish rap group Kneecap from entering the country and performing at the Sziget music festival, accusing them of promoting 'antisemitic hate speech.' The controversial Belfast-based group, known for its Irish nationalist messaging, has faced backlash for its criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza. Government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs stated on social media platform X that Kneecap's 'open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah' justified the ban. 'Granting them a stage normalizes hate and terror, and puts democratic values on the line,' Kovacs wrote, emphasizing Hungary's commitment to protecting its Jewish community. The ban, which can be challenged within 30 days, follows Kneecap's removal from other European festivals in Scotland and Germany this year. The group is still set to perform at France's Rock en Seine in August. Kneecap's lead singer, Liam O'Hanna (stage name Mo Chara), faces terrorism-related charges in the UK over alleged support for Hamas and Hezbollah during a 2024 performance. He is scheduled to appear in court next month. Nearly 300 Hungarian artists, including Oscar-winning director Laszlo Nemes, signed a petition opposing Kneecap's scheduled performance at Sziget. Festival organizer Tamas Kadar acknowledged the controversy, stating, 'We do not tolerate hate speech in any form,' while reaffirming a commitment to free expression. Hungary, a strong ally of Israel within the EU, has previously restricted pro-Palestinian demonstrations following the October 2023 Hamas attack. – AFP
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Hungary bans Kneecap from entering country for three years over ‘antisemitic hate speech' ahead of gig
"Hungary's government has moved to ban Kneecap from entering the country and performing at Sziget ... citing antisemitic hate speech and open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah as justification," government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs wrote in a post on X. Kovacs later posted the official letters from immigration authorities banning the band for three years, claiming that their entry would "seriously threaten national security". In May, member Mo Chara was charged with a terrorism offence in Britain for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed Hezbollah. He denies the offence. Representatives of Kneecap did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The band has said previously that its members do not support Hamas or Hezbollah, and that it condemns "all attacks on civilians, always". Hungary's government had already asked festival organisers to drop Kneecap from the line-up at the week-long event, which draws several hundred thousand music lovers to an island in the River Danube each year. More than 150 artists and cultural figures, including Academy Award-winning director Laszlo Nemes Jeles, have also signed a petition protesting against Kneecap's participation. Kneecap to face no further action from police after Glastonbury performance Sziget organisers, who said they had not been notified of the government's decision, have resisted the calls to scrap Kneecap's planned performance on August 11. "Our festival remains true to what we have consistently achieved over the past 30 years: there is no place for hatred, incitement, prejudice, or any form of racism or anti-Semitism," they said in a statement last week. Sziget's other performers this year include Post Malone, Shawn Mendes and Charli XCX.
Belfast Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Hungary bans Kneecap from entering country for three years over ‘antisemitic hate speech' ahead of Sziget Festival show
"Hungary's government has moved to ban Kneecap from entering the country and performing at Sziget ... citing antisemitic hate speech and open praise for Hamas and Hezbollah as justification," government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs wrote in a post on X. Kovacs later posted the official letters from immigration authorities banning the band for three years, claiming that their entry would "seriously threaten national security". In May, member Mo Chara was charged with a terrorism offence in Britain for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed Hezbollah. He denies the offence. Representatives of Kneecap did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The band has said previously that its members do not support Hamas or Hezbollah, and that it condemns "all attacks on civilians, always". Hungary's government had already asked festival organisers to drop Kneecap from the line-up at the week-long event, which draws several hundred thousand music lovers to an island in the River Danube each year. More than 150 artists and cultural figures, including Academy Award-winning director Laszlo Nemes Jeles, have also signed a petition protesting against Kneecap's participation. Sziget organisers, who said they had not been notified of the government's decision, have resisted the calls to scrap Kneecap's planned performance on August 11. "Our festival remains true to what we have consistently achieved over the past 30 years: there is no place for hatred, incitement, prejudice, or any form of racism or anti-Semitism," they said in a statement last week. Sziget's other performers this year include Post Malone, Shawn Mendes and Charli XCX.
