Kanye West was denied entry into Australia after officials flagged his recently released antisemitic song as promoting hate speech.
Kanye West was barred from entering Australia after the release of his track “Heil Hitler,” a song that praises Adolf Hitler and promotes Nazi ideology, prompting officials to revoke his visa over concerns about hate speech.
Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, confirmed the decision Wednesday (July 2), citing the rapper’s history of inflammatory remarks and the content of the song.
“He’s made a lot of offensive comments that my officials looked at again once he released [that] song,” Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
The track, which samples a 1935 Hitler speech, has been pulled from several streaming platforms and widely condemned for its antisemitic messaging.
Burke said the visa West applied for was not concert-related but still required a legal review.
“He’s got family here … It wasn’t a visa for the purpose of concerts. It was a lower-level [visa] and the officials still looked at the law and said if you’re going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don’t need that in Australia,” he said.
“We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry,” Burke added.
West has visited Australia multiple times in the past, mainly due to his wife, Bianca Censori, who was born and raised in Melbourne. Her immediate family, including her parents and sisters, still live there.
While Burke did not confirm whether the ban is permanent, he noted that visa applications are reviewed individually and that Australia maintains a firm stance against importing hate speech.
Upcoming Kanye West Concert Sparks Petition In Slovakia
The controversy around West has also reached Europe. A petition is gaining traction in Slovakia ahead of his scheduled headline performance at the Rubicon Festival in Bratislava on Saturday, July 20.
The petition, signed by thousands, describes West as “one of the world’s most prominent antisemites” and cites his sale of s#######-emblazoned merchandise and the release of “Heil Hitler” on the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat.
Organizers of the petition warn that West’s appearance could draw extremist groups and incite illegal behavior, including the display of Nazi symbols and the spread of hate-based ideology, which is outlawed in Slovakia.
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