France’s interior minister wants to block the US rapper Kanye West for his anti-Semitic remarks in the southern city of Marseille in June, a source close to the minister told AFP on Tuesday.
French minister wants to ban Kanye West’s concert
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is “determined” to ban the June 11 concert at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, and is considering “all options,” the source said.
Kanye West banned in the UK
Britain has banned the American rapper, who goes by the name Ye, from entering the country because of his outbursts, prompting organizers of a headline festival to cancel the July 20 event. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “deeply concerned” about booking West.But Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said last week there were still no plans to detain the Dutch rapper.The French source said Nunez discussed the concert ban with the regional prefect and the mayor of Marseille during a visit to the city last week.Last month, left-wing mayor Benoit Payan said he was against the controversial performer’s visit, refusing to let “Marseille become a showcase for those who promote hatred”.
about The Kanye West controversy
West, 48, has been heavily criticized for making anti-Semitic remarks and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler.In May 2025, the rapper released a song called “Heil Hitler”, a month after putting a swastika T-shirt up for sale on his website.The song was banned by major streaming platforms. West expressed remorse for his behavior, attributing it to his bipolar disorder.
