Italy bans Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts over security concerns

Local authorities say the cancellation of other West concerts had played a role in the decision. Italy bans Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts in Reggio Emilia Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. US rapper Kanye West in a leather jacket with a gold chain around his neck poses for pictures. He's wearing thick sunglasses. Italy bans Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts over security concerns Italian authorities have barred Kanye West and Travis Scott concerts from going ahead, citing public order and security concerns. Prefect Salvatore Angieri announced on Friday that the two events, due to take place in the northern city of Reggio Emilia in July, would not take place, following a request from the local Jewish community to cancel West's gig. The community's leader Nicoletta Uzzielli had urged local officials to replace the show with a performance that would bring "music back to the forefront as a universally unifying force". West has caused outrage for a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments that recently led to him being banned from entering the UK. Now known as Ye, the US rapper had been due to perform alongside Scott and other artists including The Chainsmokers, Rita Ora and Swedish House Mafia. The regional prefecture said in a statement that several factors had weighed on its decision, including the "cancellation of previous concerts by the American rapper in other countries and the real risk of counter-demonstrations". It said that the closeness of the two events, scheduled for 17 and 18 July at Reggio Emilia's RFC Arena, and the large crowds they were expected to attract was a further factor in the decision. Scott faced intense scrutiny after 10 people, aged nine to 27, died during his Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, in 2021. during his Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, in 2021. Thousands of others were injured when panic broke out as the over-capacity crowd pressed towards the front of the stage during the US rapper's headline performance. Meanwhile, this summer's Wireless Festival in London was cancelled last month, after West - who had been announced as its headline act - was refused permission to enter the UK amid a backlash over his previous remarks. Meanwhile, this summer's Wireless Festival in London , after West - who had been announced as its headline act - was refused permission to enter the UK amid a backlash over his previous remarks. In 2022, West posted on social media saying he would go "death con 3 On Jewish people", and in May last year, he released a song called Heil Hitler and sold T-shirts featuring swastikas. His barring from the UK led to a series of cancellations elsewhere. West announced on 15 April that the Marseille leg of his tour had been postponed "until further notice". French media at the time reported that Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had been looking to ban the 11 June gig. His 19 June concert at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów, Poland, was also cancelled "due to formal and legal reasons", the venue said in April. The rapper has been seeking a return to mainstream public view after apologising for his actions in a lengthy statement published in the Wall Street Journal in January. "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite," he wrote. "I love Jewish people." He added that, as a result of his bipolar disorder, he had "lost touch with reality". Kanye West controversies - how did we get here? Kanye West performs with U2 during a surprise concert in support of World AIDS Day in Times Square in New York Wireless Festival cancelled after Kanye West blocked from coming to UK Visitors look at the memorial outside of the canceled Astroworld festival at NRG Park on November 7, 2021 in Houston, Texas The UK government blocked the rapper from entering the country over his history of making pro-Nazi and racist statements. It comes a week after the UK government announced it would block the rapper from entering the country. West was due to headline the festival in July but drew criticism over past antisemitic comments. The display highlights Bristol's early influence on the drum and bass and jungle music scenes. Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse has grown every year since its launch in 2005. Former Italy under-21 international Cristian Volpato switches allegiance to Australia days before the Socceroos announce their squad for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Jersey's Weekender festival will offer "totally different experiences" on 11 and 12 September. Videos of fans copying the moves to hits from artists like Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress are going viral.