The Wireless music festival has been cancelled after Kanye West, legally known as Ye, was banned from entering the United Kingdom. The decision followed a political row over his past antisemitic remarks, including voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler and releasing a song titled 'Heil Hitler'.
Ye had been booked to headline all three days of the festival in July and applied for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) on Monday. The application was initially granted but later rescinded by Home Office ministers on the grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good.
A spokesperson for the London festival confirmed the cancellation and said refunds would be issued to all ticket holders. The statement noted that multiple stakeholders were consulted before booking Ye and no concerns were raised at the time, adding that antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer had criticised the booking over the weekend, calling it 'deeply concerning'. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, welcomed the ban, saying the situation could have been resolved earlier and that music festivals should not platform individuals with records of profiteering from antisemitism.
Organisers faced the challenge of filling three headline slots at short notice, as many artists already have summer schedules set. Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, said Ye intended to perform songs currently played on UK radio, not to extol opinions.
