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Original poster

AIBU to think cancelling Kanye West’s Italy concert was justified? (antisemitism)

57 replies

Twiglets1 · 31/05/2026 07:21

A Kanye West concert in Italy has been cancelled as a result of “public order and safety issues”.

He was scheduled to perform at the Pulse of Gaia Festival at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia on July 18, but Salvatore Angieri, the city’s prefect, stopped the concerts after “concerns” from the local Jewish community about previous anti-Semitic remarks by West.

A translation of a statement issued by the government of Reggio Emilia "took into account the cancellation of previous concerts by the American rapper in other countries and the real risk of counter-demonstrations.”

In April, West’s show in Marseille, France, was postponed after he had been denied a UK visa earlier that month, which led to the cancellation of his headline appearances at London’s Wireless Festival, following backlash due to anti-Semitic remarks.

West released a song called Heil Hitler in 2025, and previously advertised a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website. He has also been criticised for posting tweets of an anti-Semitic nature and describing slavery as “a choice”.

OP posts:
TiredCatLady · 31/05/2026 09:56

I’d quite like to see the obnoxious wanker cancelled entirely.

Bipolar doesn’t make you a racist prick who sells swastika T-shirts and professes to be a Nazi. I don’t believe his published “apology” was about anything other than trying to recover his income stream ahead of an album release.

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 31/05/2026 09:47

Springtimeinsunshine · 31/05/2026 08:23

I don't agree with cancelling anybody tbh but

Who the hell books him in the first place??

Yes it would be better if people who spouted antisemitic nonsense were not booked in the first place I agree.

OP posts:
taybert · 31/05/2026 09:07

I absolutely understand why it has been cancelled as there are so many problems with antisemitism at the moment and I think it risks whipping up problems - from those who feel his comments justify their own views and action and from those who oppose them.

That said…. My understanding is that Kanye West has now admitted that he has had untreated bipolar disorder for a long time and he did and said these awful things whilst very unwell. There doesn’t seem to be much discourse about the sometimes devastating effects of severe mental illness. There a lot more awareness of mental illness now as long as it’s the one that people find palatable like anxiety and depression. Understanding around psychotic illness is still very poor. He didn’t just say sorry, he said sorry and explained that he said and did those things whilst very unwell but people are discussing if he should be forgiven because he’s said sorry and rather than trying to understand the illness.

That’s not to say that cancelling the concert is wrong, he can’t take back what he said, the situation has been created, but I think the conversation around it should be different.

OffredxJune · 31/05/2026 08:48

Its the right choice. Anti semitisim is rife and it's upsetting

Springtimeinsunshine · 31/05/2026 08:23

I don't agree with cancelling anybody tbh but

Who the hell books him in the first place??

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 31/05/2026 07:58

BigYellowBus · 31/05/2026 07:36

If the cancellation was justified in Britain, why would it be different in Italy?

Well the concert in Italy was organised more recently and I imagine some people would argue that seeing as he subsequently apologised, he should be forgiven for his antisemitic remarks.

Not an opinion I agree with but AIBU?

OP posts:
BigYellowBus · 31/05/2026 07:36

If the cancellation was justified in Britain, why would it be different in Italy?

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