Three members of an Irish republican group who were not allowed entry into Canada were released from custody and returned to Ireland on Friday.

Three men of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (or 32CSM), a group which advocates for the unification of Ireland, traveled to Canada for a six-day speaking tour. They were denied entry upon arriving at Pearson International Airport and were held at the Maplehearst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ontario, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

A spokesperson for the group said the decision to bar the men was “a direct violation of freedom of speech.” 

The Ottawa Citizen reports the Canada Border Services Agency will not confirm that the men were detained, citing privacy legislation.

Although the 32CSM is not currently a listed terrorist entity in Canada, reports have linked the group to the Real Irish Republican Army, a link the 32 County Sovereignty Movement has denied.