The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has been blocked from entering the United Kingdom, preventing him from headlining the Wireless Festival in July, following renewed backlash over his history of antisemitic statements.
Festival organizers subsequently canceled the three-day event and confirmed that all ticket holders would receive full refunds.
Ye had applied for an electronic travel authorization, but UK authorities denied it, stating that his presence in the country was not considered “conducive to the public good.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the situation, saying, “Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless. This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.”
The artist, who officially changed his name in 2021, had been scheduled to perform his first UK shows in more than a decade, drawing an expected crowd of around 150,000 people across three nights from July 10–12 at Wireless Festival in London’s Finsbury Park. The remaining festival lineup had not yet been announced.
The decision came amid growing pressure from politicians and sponsors to drop the rapper, who has faced widespread condemnation for antisemitic remarks and comments praising Adolf Hitler.
Last year, Ye released a track titled “Heil Hitler” and promoted a swastika-branded T-shirt on his website. In response, Australian authorities revoked his visa following the song’s release.
Earlier this year, the 48-year-old issued an apology in a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, attributing his past actions to a bipolar disorder–related manic episode that he said led to “psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”
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