In brief
Kanye West, also known as Ye, faced backlash that led to the cancellation of his scheduled concert in Poland after he made a series of antisemitic remarks. The concert, planned for June 19, 2026, at Silesian Stadium, became a focal point for condemnation from Polish authorities. The culture minister called his booking 'unacceptable,' highlighting the public outcry and legal concerns surrounding promoting Nazi symbols in Poland. This cancellation adds to West's string of recent performance issues across Europe.
A Kanye West concert in Poland has been cancelled, the venue has announced, following government pressure and condemnation over a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments by the US rapper.
West, also known as Ye, was scheduled to appear at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on June 19, his first performance in Poland for 15 years, but the venue said it would not take place due to formal and legal reasons.
Marta Cienkowska, Poland's culture and heritage minister, had described the decision to book West as unacceptable.
This follows days after West postponed a gig in France and a week after the UK barred him from entering the country to headline at the Wireless Festival.
In February last year, West started selling swastika T-shirts, prompting the commerce platform Shopify to take down his web store.
Months later, he released the controversial track Heil Hitler, wherein he claimed personal struggles led him to embrace Nazism.
After an apology published in a Wall Street Journal ad, he stated, I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people, while citing his bipolar disorder as a factor in his erratic behavior.
Promoting Nazi symbols is illegal in Poland, where such acts can result in imprisonment. Given the country’s historical context with the Holocaust, West’s remarks have caused particular outrage.
In her statement, Cienkowska criticized West for promoting hate through his art, asserting that culture should not allow for the spread of such views.
The culture minister’s spokesman previously indicated the challenges of legally blocking the concert, but Polish authorities agreed that it should not proceed.
West was also meant to perform at Wireless Festival in London and in Marseille, but due to his visa issues in the UK and other cancellations, his European tour is now in jeopardy.
