The president of the Board of Deputies has called for Kanye West to be banned from entering Britain over his pro-Nazi language.
Phil Rosenberg criticised the decision to book the US rapper, also known as Ye, as the headline act for all three nights of the Wireless Festival in London this July, calling it “absolutely the wrong decision”. He urged the government to “show mettle on tackling antisemitism” and consider blocking West from entering the UK.
The Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) also condemned the booking as “deeply irresponsible”, citing concerns over rising antisemitism and warning that the decision could further inflame tensions.
West has faced repeated criticism for extreme antisemitic behaviour in recent years, which has included releasing a song titled Heil Hitler, which contains the lyrics “All my n****s Nazis, n***a, heil Hitler,” describing himself as a Nazi, selling merchandise featuring swastikas, associating with white supremacist commentator Nick Fuentes, and making a series of anti-Jewish statements.
In January, West issued a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal, attributing his behaviour to bipolar disorder.
On Monday, Wireless Festival, organised by Festival Republic, part of Live Nation, confirmed that the Grammy-award winner would headline all three nights of its event in Finsbury Park, marking West’s first UK gig in 11 years and following the release of his latest album, Bully.
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Rosenberg said the Board was concerned the West would use the platform for further antisemitic statements.
“We're in this moment of really high levels of antisemitism. So to have someone whose recent track record is, as you said, declaring himself a Nazi, putting out a song called 'Heil Hitler', seems to be absolutely the wrong decision and many Jewish people will worry that that will just inflame what is already a very febrile situation.”
He added: “I'm very sympathetic to the challenges he has with mental health and bipolar disorder. But the challenge is maybe he's not in complete control of his ability to do those things.
“And we're really worried that on stage at the Wireless Festival, he'll suddenly come out with more of these things. And the organisers really need to think carefully about this.”
Rosenberg said the Board had consulted with lawyers about the “liabilities that the organisers will have,” including insurance.
“We think the government should consider the Australian government blocking him from entering the country,” he said.
West was blocked from entering Australia as of early July 2025, with immigration officials cancelling his visa following the release of the song Heil Hitler.
Rosenberg said West was an extremist, “he has been involved in these hateful comments and he would his presence would not be conducive to the public good.”
“It will send absolutely the wrong signal if someone who declared himself a Nazi and had a song called Heil Hitler is entering this country,” he added.
“We're writing to the Wireless Festival to ask them to reconsider, speaking to the local authority to see what powers they might have and speaking to government. We need to look at every measure to make sure not just our community is safe but every community should be safe.”
West’s apology, published on 26 January, was titled: To Those I’ve Hurt. He said his bipolar disorder meant he “lost touch with reality”.
“In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it,” West said.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,” he added.
In a press release, Wireless organisers said that West’s “UK comeback will be an extraordinary chapter in Wireless’s story”.
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