American rapper Kanye West has been banned from entering the United Kingdom over antisemitic remarks, leading to the cancellation of the Wireless Festival in London, according to the BBC.
The British government revoked West’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), effectively denying him entry. In response, event organizer Festival Republic announced that the festival would no longer take place and that all ticket holders would receive refunds.
“The Home Office has revoked Ye’s ETA, denying him entry to the UK,” the promoter said in a statement. “As a result, Wireless Festival has been cancelled.”
The 48-year-old artist, who had been scheduled to headline all three nights of the festival from July 10 to 12 at Finsbury Park, had applied for entry earlier this week. However, authorities reportedly ruled that his presence was “not in the public interest.”
Read more about this topic: Kanye West returns to Portugal in August for Algarve Stadium concert
Ahead of the planned shows, West had expressed willingness to meet members of the UK’s Jewish community, acknowledging past controversies linked to antisemitic comments and saying he wanted to promote “unity, peace and love” through music. He also stated that he understood words alone were insufficient and that he would need to demonstrate change through actions.
The decision follows mounting pressure from Jewish organizations calling for the ban. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had already criticized the booking, describing it as “deeply concerning” given West’s past statements, which included antisemitic remarks and praise for Nazism. London Mayor Sadiq Khan also condemned the artist’s comments, noting that city authorities were not involved in organizing the event.
Festival Republic emphasized that antisemitism “in all its forms is abhorrent” and acknowledged the real impact such issues have had, while adding that West still hopes to engage in dialogue with the Jewish community in the UK.
Despite the UK ban, West is still scheduled to perform in Portugal on August 7 at the Estádio do Algarve, as part of his European tour following the release of his latest album, Bully.
