Italian authorities have officially blocked two major concerts featuring American rappers Kanye West and Travis Scott, Reuters reports. The performances were scheduled to take place this July in the northern city of Reggio Emilia.
Local prefect Salvatore Angieri ordered the cancellation of the highly anticipated events at the 103,000-capacity RCF Arena. Scott was slated to headline the Pulse of Gaia Festival on July 17 with West, who now goes by the name Ye, due to take the stage the following night. Angieri cited severe concerns regarding public order, overall security and the high probability of organised protests.
Community backlash and safety concerns
The intervention follows formal requests from the consumer advocacy group CODACONS and the local Jewish community in Modena and Reggio Emilia. Both groups raised significant alarms specifically regarding Ye’s involvement. The controversial artist has faced widespread backlash and a string of European cancellations this summer following years of antisemitic statements, which have included praising Adolf Hitler and sharing Nazi imagery.
Furthermore, officials highlighted the logistical nightmare of managing a massive influx of spectators for two monumental shows within a 24-hour window. Scott has also faced intense scrutiny regarding crowd control following the tragic 2021 crush at his Astroworld festival in Houston that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured.
A troubled European tour
The Italian ban is simply the latest in a series of setbacks for Ye’s European endeavours. In April, the UK government denied him entry on the grounds that his presence was not conducive to the public good. Shortly after, a scheduled show in Marseille was postponed amidst reports of French government opposition while planned dates in Poland and Switzerland were entirely scrapped.
Ye has previously apologised for his offensive remarks and attributed his past behaviour to untreated bipolar disorder. He continues to perform in nations willing to host him and is scheduled to play a concert in Istanbul later on Saturday. He is also expected to perform in the Netherlands next month after the Dutch migration minister confirmed there were no legal grounds to bar his entry.
Neither Ye, Scott nor the Italian event organisers have issued a public comment regarding the cancellations.
