Wireless festival cancelled after Kanye West banned from entering UK (www.theguardian.com)
from HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to world@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 15:53
https://sh.itjust.works/post/58127515

The Wireless music festival has been cancelled after the artist formerly known as Kanye West was banned from entering the UK amid a deepening political row over his previous antisemitic statements.

West, who is legally known as Ye, made an application to travel to the UK via an Electronic Travel Authorisation on Monday but it has been blocked by officials.

A spokesperson for the festival confirmed it would no longer go ahead in July after the government decision was announced, and said refunds would be issued to those who had already bought tickets.

The statement read: “The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.

#world

threaded - newest

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 16:09 next collapse

So are the Wireless festival people completely clueless and ignorant or do they share a world view with kanye?

einkorn@feddit.org on 07 Apr 16:15 next collapse

Why not both?

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 16:34 collapse

Sure, that’d be the third option. The first option doesn’t necessarily mean they support the guys… “ideas”

myrmidex@belgae.social on 07 Apr 16:15 next collapse

Why weren’t they banned?

themeatbridge@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 16:17 next collapse

Probably C) they don’t give a shit because profit.

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 16:33 collapse

Okay sure but a good businessman or businessmanwoman would have realized that it is not good business to invite a nazi to perform at your festival

mushroommunk@lemmy.today on 07 Apr 16:38 next collapse

Except he still somehow draws crowds of people who agrees with his views. It’s a damning commentary on our society.

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 16:40 next collapse

Yeah but as we can see, it wasn’t a good money making decision. And it wasn’t that difficult to predict that would be the case. If a moron like me saw this coming, surely the festival people should have also.

But from what I’ve witnessed in the past… decade or two, the people in charge of things are utter morons.

HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works on 07 Apr 17:11 collapse

From the article …

“As with every Wireless festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time."

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 17:15 collapse

So they were aware, didn’t care or supported his madness. I hope they feel some consequences.

scutiger@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 19:12 collapse

Also those who claim to “separate the art from the artist.”

Lasherz12@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 16:48 next collapse

He recently apologized and said more or less he’s back on the meds. I could see them opening back up to him if they felt it was genuine and the government stepping in to say it doesn’t matter if he apologized.

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 16:50 next collapse

Ehh… better to wait 5 years to make sure. Or 50.

antonim@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 16:53 collapse

He apologised and started taking meds and then relapsed how many times already?

Lasherz12@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:57 collapse

Too many, I’d side with the government morally on Ye. Not sure whether they should be the final say on who fits that description though since they think Kneecap fits it too.

Hapankaali@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:49 next collapse

Nazis are leading in the polls in the UK, perhaps they figured West’s antisemitic comments would make for a good selling point.

themeatbridge@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 18:09 collapse

Like Nazis don’t have money to spend?

HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social on 07 Apr 18:17 collapse

Perhaps they do. Still a stupid decision to get him to perform. As evidenced by what ended up happening, the whole thing went tits up. Completely predictably.

nulluser@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 16:26 collapse

Not to mention everyone that paid for tickets.

UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 16:18 next collapse

West, who is legally known as Ye, made an application to travel to the UK via an Electronic Travel Authorisation on Monday but it has been blocked by officials.

Listen, he’s a loser and a POS. I don’t particularly like the guy. All is current music sucks.

But this whole UK fascist turn wrt to Israel is not the way. Straight up blocking people from entering your country, because someone in the Home Secretary’s office as beef, is a bleak way to run a country.

The number of Musicians, Politicians, and Religious Leaders on this list really leaves the impression that it’s arbitrary and personal, especially when you consider who is coming and going through the UK at will.

Naich@piefed.world on 07 Apr 16:28 next collapse

He is literally a Nazi. This was just over a year ago:

https://www.newsweek.com/kanye-west-proclaims-hes-nazi-praises-hitler-x-rant-2027943

It’ll take more than an apology to make up for that shit.

RIotingPacifist@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:38 collapse

He is literally a Nazi

Is he?

Does he organize nationalists or promote white supremacy or does he just say stupid shit?

Because if it’s the latter this will be weaponized against anyone left of center far more effective than this.

Wether it’s Ye or Kneecap, having visa laws/the right to perform applied to individuals on a whim to pander to the media, is bad and reduces the rights of everyone.

Ironically this weakens democracy in favor of an all powerful executive.

jpreston2005@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:48 collapse

promote white supremacy

Yeah he did that one

CaptPretentious@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 16:55 next collapse

Ye

Today I learned he actually legally changed his name to “Ye”. Fucking pretentious and stupid.

Asetru@feddit.org on 07 Apr 17:03 next collapse

Boo hoo, a country doesn’t let a fascist in.

Countries have no obligation to let people from other countries in. It’s a good will gesture to do so. And why on earth would you show good will to a fascist?

RIotingPacifist@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:42 next collapse

The UK has every right to deny Ye entry, the issue is that the law is so vague that it’s implemention is up to the home office and largely used to pander to the (foreign/non-dom owned) press, the UK has effective abdicated control of its borders to the media.

Ironically this also weakens democracy in favor of an all powerful executive.

UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:50 collapse

Boo hoo, a country doesn’t let a fascist in.

It does let them in. The UK has no problem with fascists, just so long as they’re British Fascists.

antonim@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 17:31 collapse

West has said literally nothing about Israel, he’s been spouting racist, antisemitic, Holocaust-denying garbage for years and has been screaming openly and proudly that he’s a nazi. His antisemitism is built around his delusions of being prosecuted by the jewish musical lobby. His latest hit is a song whose refrain goes “nigga heil Hitler, nigga heil Hitler”. Any person with a modicum of moral integrity ought to have a “beef” with this idiot. Scroll through en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Views_of_Kanye_West a bit.

Trying to whitewash a bald-faced nazi into a mere “POS” who’s a victim of UK’s “fascism” is revolting. I mean it. Please read through the above link and reconsider.

The number of Musicians, Politicians, and Religious Leaders on this list really leaves the impression that it’s arbitrary and personal

Those arbitrary bans for reasons such as, uhh, “systematic approach to the torture and murder of civilians”, “criminal convictions”, “war crimes”, “anti-LGBT rhetoric” and “involvement in London bombings”???

theskyisfalling@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Apr 16:43 next collapse

How shit is this festival that if one act falls through they cancel the entire fucking thing…

dditty@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Apr 18:14 collapse

Very shit. But tbf the festival’s corporate sponsors like Pepsi had already pulled their funding after Ye was announced as a guest. And then the organizers would have to find a replacement act that would draw audiences, and still have to offer refunds after a replacement act was found. And I imagine there would be controversy towards any replacement act they did find, both from the deranged Ye fans and haters.

4shtonButcher@discuss.tchncs.de on 07 Apr 17:33 next collapse

FAFO

DrSleepless@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 18:00 next collapse

Ha ha!

ButtermilkBiscuit@feddit.nl on 07 Apr 18:42 next collapse

Kanye West is old garbage. Like oldies rap for millennial edge lords. Funny because hitler would have sent his black ass to the gas chamber first lol.

scytale@piefed.zip on 07 Apr 18:49 next collapse

Is it really a “festival” if pulling one headlining act cancels the entire thing?

HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works on 07 Apr 19:08 collapse

From the article …

The decision to ban Ye left the Wireless organisers with three headline slots to fill at just three months’ notice. The ban came on the day presales began for this summer’s events, which were already competing in a busy field of London day festivals.

scytale@piefed.zip on 07 Apr 19:27 collapse

I know, I was alluding to them making do with their current lineups and maybe upgrading some artists as the headlining acts if they can’t get replacements. I’m sure there are other popular artists on their lineup. I guess the presales went dry when news of the ban was announced.

DarkFuture@lemmy.world on 07 Apr 19:28 collapse

I guess it only pays to be a Nazi in the United States.