The rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has been barred from entering the UK, where he had been set to perform at the Wireless Festival in July, following condemnation over his antisemitic remarks.
Festival organizers confirmed the ban and announced the cancellation of the three-day event. According to the BBC, citing the Home Office, Ye’s entry was denied on the grounds that his presence would not be “conducive to the public good."
He had been scheduled to perform before approximately 150,000 attendees from July 10-12 at London’s Finsbury Park. A senior government official had earlier said he should “absolutely not" appear.
Amid the backlash, Ye offered to meet with members of the UK Jewish community, stating he would demonstrate change through actions. Pressure had mounted from sponsors and politicians, particularly after the rapper’s past antisemitic statements and praise for Adolf Hitler.
Last year, he released a song titled “Heil Hitler" and promoted a swastika T-shirt. In January, he issued a public apology, attributing his behavior to a bipolar episode.
Major sponsors, including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, and Diageo, withdrew, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the booking “deeply concerning."
Jewish community leader Phil Rosenberg said any meeting would require genuine remorse, while organizers initially defended Ye, urging “forgiveness and hope." UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting rejected that stance, calling it “absurd" and reiterating that Ye should not perform.
A representative for Ye did not respond to requests for comment.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of the Seventh Day of Passover in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)