London’s Wireless Festival has been cancelled after the UK government blocked Kanye West from travelling to Britain to headline three nights at the event.
Festival organisers, Festival Republic, said the rapper’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) had been withdrawn by the Home Office, which ruled that his presence in the UK would “not be conducive to the public good.” As a result, the festival will not take place, and all ticket-holders will receive refunds.
The organisers added that multiple stakeholders were consulted before booking West—now known as Ye—and no concerns were raised at the time. They condemned antisemitism, stating: “Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had.” Festival Republic noted that Ye has acknowledged that “words alone are not enough” and hopes to engage in a dialogue with the UK’s Jewish community.
West’s planned appearances had sparked controversy, with calls for him to be banned from the country. This followed incidents including a song titled Heil Hitler and the sale of a swastika-adorned T-shirt on his website. Key sponsors, including Pepsi and Diageo, withdrew their support after West was named the headline act.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless. This Government stands firmly with the Jewish community and will continue to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.”
Before the government’s decision, West had expressed a desire to meet the British Jewish community, stating he wanted to “present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music.” He acknowledged that “words aren’t enough” and that he would need to demonstrate change through his actions.
Tickets for Wireless went on pre-sale on Tuesday at 12pm and were believed to have sold out, with general sales scheduled for the following day. With the festival now cancelled, all ticket-holders will be refunded.
