Italy bans Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts over security fears

Italy has banned two concerts featuring U.S. rappers Kanye West and Travis Scott that were scheduled to take place in July in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, authorities said on Saturday, May 30.

According to a report by Reuters, the local prefect, Salvatore Angieri, ordered the cancellation, citing concerns over public order and security, including the potential for protests.

West, who also performs under the name Ye, has faced a series of concert cancellations across Europe this summer following years of antisemitic remarks, including statements praising Adolf Hitler and the release of content featuring Nazi imagery.

Scott, meanwhile, has come under scrutiny over safety at his concerts since a 2021 crowd crush at the Astroworld Festival in Houston that killed 10 people and injured hundreds.

Scott had been scheduled to perform at the "Pulse of Gaia Festival" on July 17 at the 103,000-seat RCF Arena, with Ye set to appear the following day.

Angieri said the decision followed requests from the consumer group CODACONS and the Jewish community in Modena and Reggio Emilia, which had raised particular concerns about Ye.

Authorities also pointed to the close timing of the two concerts and the large influx of spectators expected within a 24-hour period as contributing factors behind the ban. In addition, they cited the cancellation of other Ye concerts in Europe and what they described as a "concrete risk" of protests.

In April, United Kingdom authorities denied Ye entry on the grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good. Later that month, he postponed a planned show in Marseille after reports that the French government had sought to block it, while concerts in Poland and Switzerland were also cancelled.

Ye, who has apologised for his past remarks and said they were linked to untreated bipolar disorder, has continued to perform in countries that have allowed him entry. He is due to hold a concert in Istanbul later on Saturday.

He is also scheduled to perform in the Netherlands next month after the country’s migration minister said there were no legal grounds to deny him entry.

There was no immediate comment from Ye, Scott, or the event organisers in Italy regarding the cancellations.

By Tamilla Hasanova