Kanye West is not allowed to travel to the UK to headline the Wireless Festival, as fallout from the decision to spotlight the performer despite his many antisemitic in the past continues.
The UK government blocked permission for West to travel after he applied for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, the Home Office told the BBC, adding that the decision to refuse permission was made because “his presence would not be conducive to the public good.”
The Wireless Festival has not yet responded to the news, but the organizer’s managing director asked that people offer “forgiveness and hope” to West on Monday after the rapper’s headlining bill at the major annual London music fest prompted primary co-sponsor Pepsi and others to withdraw their longstanding support.
The outcry grew after West played a pair of sold-out shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium to little pushback, but after public pressure grew, Pepsi pulled out of Wireless followed by a slew of others, including Diageo, Rockstar and Paypal.
Throughout 2025, West spewed antisemitic hate online and even briefly sold T-shirts with swastikas on them on his website. He was also sued by a former marketing employee for harassment and discrimination over his alleged antisemitic comments in February and dropped the song “Heil Hitler” in May.
He apologized in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in January, saying his public outbursts were due to manic episodes from his bipolar disorder.
“It does not excuse what I did though,” he said at the time. “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
Melvin Benn, managing director of U.K. promoter Festival Republic, said Monday that the decision to choose West as the Wireless headliner wasn’t about platforming him, but instead showcasing his songs.
“We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions,” Benn said.
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