The British government has blocked Kanye West from entering the UK due to his past anti-Semitic comments, which led to the cancellation of the Wireless Festival.
Festival organizers said in a statement on Tuesday: “The Home Office has canceled Mr Ye’s ETA and refused him entry to the UK. As a result, Wireless Festival has been canceled and all ticket holders will be refunded.”
“Anti-Semitism in all its forms is abhorrent and we recognize that these issues have a real and personal impact,” the statement to the BBC continued.
The organizers added: “As YE said today, he acknowledges that words are not enough and nevertheless hopes to be given the opportunity to start a dialogue with Britain’s Jewish community.”
Page Six has reached out to a representative for Wireless Festival for comment.
The Home Office told the BBC on Tuesday that it had rejected Mr West’s application to travel to the UK, which was submitted through an electronic travel authorization.
The decision was made “on the grounds that (Mr. West’s) presence would not serve the public interest,” the newspaper reported.
West’s past anti-Semitic behavior led to pressure to ban him from headlining the Wireless Festival, scheduled for July 10-12 at Finsbury Park.
Wireless sponsors Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo have pulled out of the festival — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told The Sun on Sunday that he found it “very concerning” that West was scheduled to attend the event.
Ahead of the cancellation, festival organizer Melvin Benn released a statement on Monday supporting the company’s decision to book the 48-year-old rapper.
“Forgiveness and giving people second chances are becoming lost virtues in this increasingly divided world,” Ben told Variety. “I hope that people (like me) look back at the comments in the moment that made them feel disgusted at the possibility of him appearing, and give him a degree of forgiveness and hope, as I have chosen to do.”
Ms West offered to meet with members of Britain’s Jewish community on Tuesday before her visa application was rejected and the festival was canceled.
“We have been following conversations around wireless and would like to address them directly,” he said in a statement, according to the BBC.
West, who now goes by Ye, explained that his “single goal” in coming to London was to “put on a show of change, bringing unity, peace and love through music.”
He added: “We know that words are not enough. We must demonstrate change through action.
“If you open your heart, I’m here. With love.”
But British groups such as the Jewish Leadership Council and the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism said they were refusing to meet Mr West.
Mr. West has been accused of anti-Semitic behavior, including advertising the sale of swastika T-shirts on his website and releasing the song “Heil Hitler.” He even called himself a Nazi last year.
In January, Mr. West apologized for his anti-Semitism in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, blaming his actions on a decades-old car accident that caused his bipolar disorder.
He has been working towards a comeback ever since, performing in front of more than 70,000 fans at California’s SoFi Stadium on April 1st.
