Two more European countries have cancelled concerts by Kanye 'Ye' West, as the fallout from his antisemitic remarks and Nazi-themed merchandise continues to spread across the continent. The rapper's scheduled performances in Poland and Switzerland have been called off, joining earlier cancellations in the United Kingdom and France.
West was due to perform at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów on 19 June, his first concert in Poland in 15 years. However, the venue announced the cancellation citing “formal and legal reasons.” The decision followed strong condemnation from Poland's Culture Minister, Marta Cienkowska, who argued that West's history of offensive remarks should disqualify him from performing in a country “scarred by the history of the Holocaust.”
“We cannot pretend that this is just entertainment,” Cienkowska said. “We are talking about an artist who has publicly made anti-Semitic remarks, relativised crimes, and profited from selling T-shirts with a swastika. These are not ‘controversies.’ This is a deliberate crossing of a boundary and a normalisation of hate.”
She added that culture could not “be a space for those who use it to spread contempt.”
In Switzerland, West was scheduled to appear at St. Jakob-Park, the home of FC Basel, in June. The club announced after a “thorough review” that it would not proceed with the event. “FCB received an enquiry and considered it. However, after thorough review, we have decided not to proceed with the project, as we cannot, in accordance with our values, provide a platform for the artist in question within this context,” the club stated.
These cancellations follow the UK government's decision to bar West from entering the country, which led to the cancellation of his appearance at Wireless Festival. Earlier, his concert at the Orange Velodrome in Marseille was postponed. In response, West posted on X: “I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends. I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it. My fans are everything to me. Looking forward to the next shows. See you at the top of the globe.”
Remaining EU Dates in Doubt
West's remaining European tour dates include stops in Turkey (30 May), the Netherlands (6 and 8 June), Italy (18 July), Madrid (30 July), and Portugal (7 August). However, with the wave of cancellations, speculation is mounting that the entire European leg could be scrapped. Italy faces growing calls to cancel Kanye West concert after European rejections, as political and cultural figures there also voice objections.
West's antisemitic remarks began in 2022, when he made a series of offensive comments on social media, leading to his suspension from X and Instagram. He was subsequently dropped by his talent agency and fashion brands such as Adidas and Balenciaga. Since then, he has posted an image of Ku Klux Klan robes, rescinded an apology to the Jewish community, declared himself “a Nazi,” and asserted “dominion over his wife.”
In February 2025, West began selling swastika T-shirts, and in May, he released a song titled 'Heil Hitler' praising the Nazi leader. These actions led to the revocation of his visa to enter Australia and a threat of immediate arrest in Brazil. West later apologised, taking out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, describing his behaviour as a “four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour” and stating that he “lost touch with reality.”
The cancellations in Poland and Switzerland underscore a growing unwillingness among European venues and governments to host an artist whose actions are widely seen as promoting hate speech. As Poland leverages its G20 seat to amplify Central European economic voice, the country's stance on West also reflects its sensitivity to historical trauma and contemporary antisemitism.
