Pressure mounts on UK government to ban Kanye West after festival backlash
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US rapper Kanye West has been criticised in the past for anti-Semitic remarks and his celebration of nazism.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Kanye West's booking at Wireless Festival faces backlash due to his history of anti-Semitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
- UK Home Office is reviewing his entry permission following calls for a ban, similar to Australia's 2025 visa cancellation after "Heil Hitler".
- Sponsors like Diageo, Pepsi, and PayPal have withdrawn support, and PM Starmer voiced concerns amid rising anti-Semitic attacks.
AI generated
LONDON - The British government was under growing pressure on April 6 to bar US rapper Kanye West from entering the country after he was named as the headline act for the Wireless Festival of rap and hip-hop music set for July.
West, now known as Ye, has been criticised in the past for anti-Semitic remarks and celebration of nazism, which have led on several occasions to his social media accounts, including X, being barred.
The decision to book Ye prompted several companies to pull their sponsorship of the festival, while the main opposition Conservative Party wrote to Home Secretary (interior minister) Shabana Mahmood urging her to ban him from coming to Britain.
Asked by Reuters for comment, a Home Office source said ministers were currently reviewing his permission to enter the country.
The Home Office does not usually comment on individual cases, but Mahmood has powers to personally request Ye to be excluded from the UK.
In January, the department revoked the Electronic Travel Authorisation of Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch far-right activist for spreading false information.
Festival organisers and Ye’s representative did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The Jewish Leadership Council last week condemned the organisers for booking Ye after a rise in attacks on Jewish people and Jewish targets.
‘Deeply concerning’
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also described as “deeply concerning” the decision to book Ye for the London festival.
“Anti-Semitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” Starmer said in comments first reported by the Sun on April 6.
“Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.”
A spokesperson for London mayor Sadiq Khan said the rapper’s comments did not reflect the city’s values and that the decision had been made by festival organisers.
Australia cancelled the rapper’s visa in July 2025 after he released “Heil Hitler”, a song promoting Nazism.
The ban came a few months after Ye advertised a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
Ye took a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal in January to apologise for his anti-Semitic remarks, attributing his behaviour to an undiagnosed brain injury and an untreated bipolar disorder.
He also apologised for his past expressions of admiration for Adolf Hitler and use of swastika imagery.
The 48-year-old has not performed in Britain since he headlined Glastonbury in 2015.
Drinks companies Diageo and Pepsi, a long-running sponsor, said they had withdrawn their support for the Wireless event over the decision to invite Ye. Pepsi-owner PepsiCo also confirmed its Rockstar Energy brand had pulled its sponsorship.
A spokesperson for PayPal told Reuters on April 7 its branding would not appear in any future Wireless festival promotional materials. REUTERS
