Kanye West banned from performing in Italian city

A Kanye West concert in Italy has been cancelled over public order and security concerns.

The US rapper had been due to perform in the city of Reggio Emilia this summer.

But local official ‌Salvatore Angieri ordered its cancellation because of concerns over the potential for protests, with West, known as Ye, having faced a wave of cancellations following years of antisemitic remarks.

The northern city has also banned a concert from Travis Scott, another American rapper.

Scott has faced scrutiny over safety at his concerts since ​a 2021 crowd crush at the Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, that killed 10 people and injured hundreds.

He had been due to perform at the Pulse ​of Gaia Festival on 17 July at the 103,000-capacity ⁠RCF Arena, with West scheduled to appear ⁠the following day.

Angieri said the decision was taken following requests from a consumer group and the Jewish community ‌in Modena and Reggio Emilia, which had raised concerns about West.

Italian authorities cited the close timing of the two shows and the high influx of ‌spectators expected within 24 hours as factors behind the ban.

They also pointed to the cancellation of other West concerts in Europe, and the "concrete risk" of protests.

This year's Wireless Festival was cancelled in April after West was blocked from coming to the UK.

The ban was announced as his presence would "not be conducive to public good" after a backlash over West being booked to headline all three nights of the London event.

In response, West offered to meet members of the British Jewish community.

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Later that ​month, a concert in Poland was cancelled, and he also postponed a Marseille show after reports that the ​French government had sought to block it.

West has apologised for his past remarks, saying they were linked to untreated bipolar disorder.

He said in January: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people".

West is set ​to hold concerts in the Netherlands next month after its migration ​minister said there were no legal grounds to deny him entry.

Dutch politicians had urged the ​government to bar West, citing his past remarks and expressions of admiration for Nazism and Adolf Hitler.

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