French minister seeks ban of Kanye West concert in Marseille

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(FILES) Kanye West attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party following the 92nd annual Oscars at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills on February 9, 2020. The city of Marseille, through its mayor Benoît Payan, a member of the Divers Gauche party, said on March 4, 2026 that it opposed the visit of US rapper Kanye West, known for his anti-Semitic remarks, who is scheduled to give a concert at the Stade Vélodrome on June 11, 2026. (Photo by JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX / AFP)

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France’s interior minister is seeking to block US rapper Kanye West from performing in the southern city of Marseille in June due to his antisemitic remarks, a source close to the minister told AFP on Tuesday.

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Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is “highly determined” to ban the June 11 concert at Marseille’s Velodrome stadium and is exploring “all possibilities”, the source said.

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West, 48, has been heavily criticised for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler.

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Britain has blocked the US rapper, also known as Ye, from entering the country due to his outbursts, prompting organisers of a festival he was to headline to cancel the July event. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had called booking West “deeply concerning.”

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But Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said last week there were no plans as yet to bar the rapper from the Netherlands.

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The French source said Nunez had discussed the possible concert ban with the regional prefect and the mayor of Marseille during his visit to the city last week.

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Last month, Benoit Payan, the left-wing mayor, said he opposed the controversial performer’s visit, saying he refused “to allow Marseille to be a showcase for those who promote hatred”.

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In May 2025, the rapper released a song called “Heil Hitler”, months after advertising a swastika t-shirt for sale on his website.

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The song was banned by major streaming platforms. West subsequently expressed regret for his conduct, blaming it on his bipolar disorder.

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AFP

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