After canceled gigs in the U.K., France, Switzerland and Poland, Kanye West\u2019s upcoming concert in Italy is sparking an uproar due to the rapper\u2019s antisemitic remarks.<\/p>\n
West, now known as Ye,\u00a0is scheduled to headline the Hellwat Festival on July 18 at the RCF Arena in the Northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia. The venue has a capacity of 103,000 spectators, making it one of West\u2019s biggest arena appearances ever, according to organizers.<\/p>\n
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While the Reggio Emilia concert is currently on track, the city\u2019s Jewish community, anti-fascist resistance groups, trade unions and politicians are up in arms, calling for it to be canceled.<\/p>\n
Pina Picierno, who is vice president of the European Parliament and a senior member of Italy\u2019s Democratic Party, has urged the Italian government to intervene and take a stance similar to the U.K., France and Poland.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United Kingdom denied the visa. France effectively prevented the Marseille concert,\u201d Picierno told local newspaper La Gazzetta di Reggio. \u201cItaly, meanwhile, is just staying idle with 68,000 tickets sold, as if nothing had happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city of Reggio Emilia was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor in 1950 for having a crucial role in the Italian resistance against the Nazis during World War II.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s mayor Marco Massari, however, is taking a neutral stance. In a statement, Massari said he was \u201cdistancing himself from Kanye West\u2019s behavior and remarks,\u201d but added that any decision regarding West\u2019s entry into the country and his performance lies with Italy\u2019s Ministry of the Interior, which so far has not commented.<\/p>\n
West, who has said \u201cI Love Nazis\u201d on social media, sold T-shirts with a swastika on his website and last year released a song called \u201cHeil Hitler,\u201d published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal in January, attributing his behavior to manic episodes caused by bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
In a statement to Italian news agency ANSA, Hellwatt Festival artistic director Victor Yari Milani called the event\u00a0\u201ca space for free artistic expression.\u201d Milani added, \u201cThe artist\u2019s past comments have certainly provoked a legitimate reaction, but we also want to remember that Ye formally apologized through the Wall Street Journal in January, stating that he is not a Nazi or antisemite but suffers from bipolar disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would add that we have asked him to apologize in Italy as well,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
Variety has reached out to West\u2019s reps for comment.<\/p>\n
Other top artists expected at this year\u2019s Hellwat Festival include include Travis Scott, Rita Ora and Martin Garrix.<\/p>\n
Besides Italy, the other remaining stops in West\u2019s announced European tour are Turkey, the Netherlands, Madrid and Portugal.<\/p>\n
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