Organisers cancel Wireless Festival as headliner Kanye West is banned from entering UK
It follows heavy criticism of antisemitic comments made by the rapper
Wireless Festival has been cancelled following the Home Office’s decision to prevent headliner Kanye West from entering the UK, organiser Festival Republic said.
In a statement, it said: “The Home Office has withdrawn YE’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket-holders.
“As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time.
“Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had. As YE said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK.”
The rapper made an application to travel to the country on Monday via an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), but the Home Office stopped him on the grounds that his presence in the UK would “not be conducive to the public good”, the Press Association understands.
The planned headline performances by West, now known as Ye, at Wireless this summer has provoked calls for him to be banned from the UK because of behaviour, which has included releasing a song called Heil Hitler and advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
West offered to meet the British Jewish community before his show.
He said in a statement before the Government’s decision: “I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly.
“My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music.
“I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen.
“I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions.
“If you’re open, I’m here.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism has said the Government “has clearly made the right decision” after blocking Kanye West from entering the UK following controversy over his planned headline sets at this summer’s Wireless Festival in London.
A spokesperson from the CAA said: “The Government has clearly made the right decision here. For once, when it said that antisemitism has no place in the UK, it backed up its words with action.
“Someone who has boasted of making tens of millions of dollars from selling swastika t-shirts and who released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ just months ago clearly would not be conducive to the public good in the UK.
“Wireless Festival, in its desperate quest for profit, defended the invitation until the end. That is shameful, and its sponsors should continue to stay away.”