Italy is the latest to ban Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts
(Kanye West, Travis Scott)
Italian authorities have canceled planned July concerts by Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) and Travis Scott in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, citing public-order and security concerns tied to the massive events and the likelihood of demonstrations.
The performances were scheduled for July 17 and 18 at the 103,000-capacity RCF Arena as part of the Pulse of Gaia and Hellwat Festival events. Reggio Emilia Prefect Salvatore Angieri announced the cancellation after officials reviewed crowd-management issues associated with hosting two major concerts on consecutive days and assessed what authorities described as a “concrete risk of protests.”
Local Jewish organizations, anti-fascist groups, labor unions, politicians and Italian consumer-rights organization Codacons had urged officials to block Ye’s appearance. Critics pointed to the rapper’s long history of antisemitic remarks, public praise of Adolf Hitler, use of Nazi imagery and the release of the song “Heil Hitler.” Ye later issued a public apology and has attributed some past behavior to untreated bipolar disorder.
Scott’s inclusion also drew scrutiny because of lingering concerns stemming from the 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy in Houston, where 10 people died during a crowd crush.
The Italian decision adds to a growing list of setbacks for Ye’s European comeback plans. Britain and Australia have blocked him from entering their countries, while concerts in Poland and Switzerland have been canceled. A planned performance in Marseille, France, was postponed after French officials reportedly considered preventing the event from moving forward.
Despite the latest cancellation, Ye’s tour continues.
Organizers of the Hellwat Festival say they are exploring legal options and are attempting to relocate his July 18 performance to another venue near Reggio Emilia under a different jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Ye recently launched his summer tour in Istanbul, where organizers reported a crowd exceeding 100,000 attendees. Additional dates remain scheduled in the Netherlands, Albania and the Czech Republic.
~
Also see: Kanye West calls out Pete Davidson in his latest Rap release: Eazy
~
(Sources: Yahoo! Entertainment, New York Times, Variety)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
