Coalition party CDA wants to ban Ye from performing in Arnehm, following UK example

After the British government decided not to allow rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, into the United Kingdom to perform, calls have emerged in the Netherlands to do the same. The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform at the GelreDome in Arnhem in June. Coalition party CDA has now joined the call to deny him entry, AD reports.

Ye has been controversial for years due to antisemitic statements. Among other things, he has called himself a Nazi and released a song last year titled Heil Hitler.

The 48-year-old rapper was scheduled to perform at a festival in London. According to the BBC, the British government denied Ye’s application to enter the country on Monday, citing that his presence would not be conducive to the public interest.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had already criticized the festival for booking Ye, and several sponsors withdrew due to the controversy. After Ye’s denied entry, the festival pulled the plug. Everyone who bought a ticket will get a refund.

The American rapper is also scheduled to perform at the GelreDome in Arnhem on June 6 and 8. Arnhem mayor Ahmed Marcouch previously called Ye’s antisemitic acts and statements “disgusting,” but said they are not legal grounds to prevent his performance. He repeated that on Tuesday. “I cannot refuse someone based on the past. I must abide by laws and regulations. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are great assets. That is something fundamental.”

The Arnhem mayor added that it is up to the national government to ban Ye from entering the Netherlands, should they deem it necessary. Coalition party CDA would support that, MP Tijs van den Brink told AD. “If that is legally possible, I would be very happy.”

Ye’s arrival is causing “great concern” for the CDA, Van den Brink said. “Freedom of speech is a great asset, but it never offers room for hate speech or Holocaust denial. That is precisely why organizers bear responsibility for who they give a platform to: there is no place for antisemitism in the Netherlands, on any stage.”

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science told AD that concert organizers are free to choose their programming but must “never give room for discrimination or hatred.” The Ministry of Justice and Security, which is responsible for entry bans, did not respond to AD’s questions on the matter at the time of publishing.