Photo Credit: Katja Ano

Wireless Festival has been cancelled after the UK government denied entry to headliner Ye, amid outrage over his rampant antisemitism in recent years.

Wireless Festival will not be taking place this summer after headliner Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was barred from entering the UK. The government denied the artist entry amid widespread outrage over his booking, following his pivot into antisemitism and pro-Nazi comments over the last several years.

Festival organizers released a statement confirming that refunds will be issued automatically to all ticket holders.

“As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye, and no concerns were highlighted at the time,” the statement continued. “Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize 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.”

The rapper amended his letter in the Wall Street Journal to add that he had been “following the conversation around Wireless,” and offered to meet representatives of the Jewish community in person “to listen.”

According to Melvin Benn, the managing director of Festival Republic, the promoter behind Wireless Festival, attempts were made previously to reach out to Jewish groups after the Ye appearances were announced, but “they have refused a meeting.”

“Neither the Board of Deputies nor, we understand, the Jewish Leadership Council has refused any request to meet with the Wireless Festival organizers,” replied a Board of Deputies spokesperson in a statement to the BBC. “When the Board of Deputies received a letter from Melvin Benn on April 6, proposing to meet, in response to a letter we sent setting out our concerns, we responded positively.”

Regardless of any meeting, the board added that they were very clear that the invitation for Ye to perform at the festival “should be rescinded.”

Now, the matter is out of the festival organizers’ hands. The UK Home Office confirmed to the BBC that Ye had made an application to travel to the UK on Monday via an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), and the government refused permission on the grounds that his presence “would not be conducive to the public good.”

“Apparently ‘no concerns were highlighted’ about Kanye West at the time of the booking. Who were they consulting? A wall?” said a spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism. “That’s what happens when the only stakeholders you speak to are those who stand to make a profit.”

“It’s nice that now Wireless is saying ‘Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent’ when just a few hours ago the festival promoter was saying we all need to forgive Kanye for declaring himself a full-blown Nazi only recently,” the group added.

“Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the cancellation was announced. “This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism,” he added. “We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.”