This year’s Wireless Festival has been cancelled after the government blocked Kanye West from coming to the UK.
The ban was announced as his presence would “not be conducive to public good”, Sky News understands, after a backlash over the rapper being booked to headline all three nights of the London event.
West, who is also known as Ye, has been heavily criticised for antisemitic remarks and celebrating Nazism, which have led to his social media accounts being blocked on numerous occasions.
Following the government announcement, Wireless organisers quickly released a statement saying the festival would no longer go ahead, adding that holders of presale tickets – made available only a few hours earlier – would be refunded.
“The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA [electronic travel authorisation], denying him entry into the United Kingdom,” promoters Festival Republic said in a statement. “As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.”
Major sponsors, including Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo pulled out, of the event over the bank holiday weekend, and the booking had faced criticism from the prime minister, other politicians and Jewish community groups.
In their statement, Festival Republic said “multiple stakeholders” had been consulted in advance of booking West – and “no concerns were highlighted at the time”.
They continued: “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.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted online after the ban was announced.
“Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless,” he said. “This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.”
In recent years, West has posted antisemitic comments on social media, directed people to a swastika T-shirt during a Super Bowl advert, and released a song referencing Hitler.
What has Kanye said?
He issued a public apology for his past behaviour in January, blaming his behaviour on having bipolar-1 disorder, and saying he had “lost touch with reality”.
Before the government’s announcement, he released a statement saying he hoped to come to London “and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music”.
He also said he wanted to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK “in person, to listen”, and added: “I know words aren’t enough – I’ve have to show change through my actions.”
But many critics said his words were not enough.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told Sky News the government had made the right decision, but that it was “deeply regrettable” that he was booked in the first place.
“Wireless has now been cancelled, but it should never have reached this point,” he said. “The situation could and should have been resolved much earlier.
“We hope that lessons are learned across the industry. Music festivals should be places where all communities feel welcome, not venues that platform individuals with records of profiteering from antisemitism, racism, and other repulsive views.”
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The government has discretion to ban foreign nationals from the UK if their presence is not considered “conducive to the public good”.
A ban can be ordered by the home secretary personally, and government guidance states it will normally involve serious issues such as national security, war crimes, corruption or extremism.
It’s understood an application for West to travel to the UK was made on Monday via an electronic travel authorisation, and while it was initially granted online, ministers subsequently intervened to block his entry.
