A Kanye West concert in Poland has been cancelled, the venue has announced, following government pressure and condemnation over a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments made by the US rapper.
West, also known as Ye, was scheduled to appear at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on June 19, his first performance in Poland for 15 years, but the venue stated it would no longer happen 'due to formal and legal reasons'.
Marta Cienkowska, Poland's culture and heritage minister, described the decision to book West as 'unacceptable'.
The cancellation comes shortly after West postponed a gig in France and a week after the UK government barred him from entering the country to headline at Wireless Festival.
In February last year, West started selling swastika T-shirts, prompting Shopify to remove his online store. Later that year, he released a track titled 'Heil Hitler', amidst personal controversy related to his finances.
In a statement earlier this year, he expressed remorse, stating, 'I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.' He attributed his past behaviors to his bipolar disorder, claiming he had 'lost touch with reality.'
Promoting Nazi symbols is illegal in Poland, where individuals can face imprisonment for such acts. The reactions to West's statements hit particularly hard in Poland, which suffered immensely during the Nazi occupation in World War II.
'Culture cannot be a space for those who exploit it to spread hatred,' concluded Cienkowska. The Polish foreign ministry also affirmed that the concert should be blocked.
West, also known as Ye, was scheduled to appear at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on June 19, his first performance in Poland for 15 years, but the venue stated it would no longer happen 'due to formal and legal reasons'.
Marta Cienkowska, Poland's culture and heritage minister, described the decision to book West as 'unacceptable'.
The cancellation comes shortly after West postponed a gig in France and a week after the UK government barred him from entering the country to headline at Wireless Festival.
In February last year, West started selling swastika T-shirts, prompting Shopify to remove his online store. Later that year, he released a track titled 'Heil Hitler', amidst personal controversy related to his finances.
In a statement earlier this year, he expressed remorse, stating, 'I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.' He attributed his past behaviors to his bipolar disorder, claiming he had 'lost touch with reality.'
Promoting Nazi symbols is illegal in Poland, where individuals can face imprisonment for such acts. The reactions to West's statements hit particularly hard in Poland, which suffered immensely during the Nazi occupation in World War II.
'Culture cannot be a space for those who exploit it to spread hatred,' concluded Cienkowska. The Polish foreign ministry also affirmed that the concert should be blocked.
