French authorities exploring options to ban Kanye West, following UK block
Authorities in France have confirmed that they are exploring potential options to ban Kanye West from entering the country, following his block from the UK for Wireless Festival.
The office of the French Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, confirmed to AFP (via Le Monde) on April 14th that it was currently exploring the legal options at their disposal to ban West from entering France for his planned show at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille on July 11th due to his antisemitic history.
It comes after the rapper caused uproar when it was originally announced that he was set to headline all three nights of Wireless Festival in London this July, given that he previously called himself a Nazi and released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ last year.
A political intervention then ensued, with the Home Office ultimately banning West from entering the UK on April 7th, and the entirety of Wireless being cancelled as a result.
It now seems that the French authorities may be looking to follow that lead, as the mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan, previously made it clear he would attempt to stop the show from taking place.
At the start of March, he posted on X: “I refuse to let Marseille be a showcase for those who promote hatred and unapologetic Nazism,” before adding, “Kanye West is not welcome at the Vélodrome, our temple of living together and of all Marseillais.”
However, France has stricter rules when it comes to the banning of public events, with the action only able to be taken if there is a major risk of criminality or public order being threatened, which is why the Interior Minister is currently investigating what legal options could be taken.
So far, only the UK government has taken the decision to ban West from entering the country, with his shows across Europe in Istanbul, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Portugal still all set to go ahead as planned at present.
Prior to the release of his album Bully, West attempted to apologise for his antisemitism in an advertisement with The Wall Street Journal in January, in which he attributed his behaviour to a brain injury and bipolar disorder.
When backlash was sparked from his appearances at Wireless – before he was banned from the UK – the rapper also said he was open to meeting Jewish groups in London. “I know words aren’t enough,” he stated. “I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”
West has not issued any further statement since he was blocked from the UK, nor at the potential of being banned from France.
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