Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, is distancing himself from Kanye West’s upcoming return to London after the rapper was announced as the headliner for this summer’s Wireless Festival.
West, who now goes by Ye, is scheduled to perform three nights in a row at North London’s Finsbury Park on July 10, 11, and 12, making the appearance his first London concert in more than a decade.
Following backlash over the announcement, a spokesperson for Khan said City Hall had no involvement in the decision.
“We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values,” the spokesperson said. “This was a decision taken by the festival organizers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”
Wireless Festival announced the shows March 31, describing the run as “a three night journey through his most iconic records.”
Wireless Festival announces Kanye West as headliner for three nights in July. pic.twitter.com/iEGomhsroV
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 30, 2026
The reaction was immediate. The Jewish Leadership Council called the booking “deeply irresponsible,” citing Ye’s history of antisemitic remarks and pro-Nazi rhetoric.
“It really makes you question whether the people who are organizing this festival actually support the Jewish community,” singer and actor Benjamin Haim-Isaac told BBC Newsbeat.
“Absolutely the wrong decision”
Phil Rosenberg, President, Board of Deputies of British Jews, says Kanye West should not be allowed to headline Wireless Festival in London this summer following previous antisemitic comments, which he later publicly apologised for.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/97C0AcqZSv
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) March 31, 2026
Ye, after getting canceled for a slew of anti-Semitic rants, has since apologized for his offensive remarks.
“One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments – many of which I still cannot recall – that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience,” he wrote back in January. “I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though.”