Italian authorities have officially cancelled planned concerts by Kanye West, now known as Ye, and Travis Scott in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, citing significant security and public order concerns.The decision, announced by Prefect Salvatore Angieri, followed a request from the local Jewish community.

Both concerts were scheduled for 17 and 18 July at the RFC Arena, a venue with a capacity of 103,000, which would have represented one of Ye’s largest performances to date.

Officials cited multiple factors in their decision, including previous concert cancellations by Ye in other countries and the real risk of counter-demonstrations.

Travis Scott’s involvement also raised safety concerns following the tragic crowd crush at his Astroworld festival in Houston in 2021, which resulted in ten deaths and numerous injuries.

Ye has faced international backlash for past antisemitic remarks, which have already led to cancellations of shows across Europe, including Switzerland, Poland, and France, and to the blocking of his entry to the UK for the Wireless Festival.Despite this, Ye began his summer tour in Istanbul on 30 May.

His history of controversial statements and behaviour, including repeated antisemitic comments since 2022, has resulted in the loss of sponsorships, legal challenges, and public condemnation.

Authorities emphasised that the combination of consecutive large-scale concerts and potential protests posed too high a risk to allow the events to proceed.