Amsterdam court refuses to block Ye concerts in Arnhem

An Amsterdam court has refused to stop two concerts by the American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, ruling that there are no grounds to bar him from the Netherlands despite his record of antisemitism. The shows, at the GelreDome stadium in Arnhem on June 6 and 8, will now go ahead.

The case was an emergency lawsuit brought by the Central Jewish Council (CJO), which argued that Ye’s presence threatened public order and would deepen a sense of insecurity among Jewish people in the Netherlands, who have come under a wave of violent attacks in recent months.

The court said it had found no indication that his visit posed a concrete risk to public order, and noted that no antisemitic statements had been made at his concerts in other countries. Authorities will monitor whether he makes any objectionable remarks during his stay.

The CJO said it was disappointed with the ruling. Those with the power to keep Ye out – the minister and the mayor – had chosen not to use it, the organisation said, putting the inconvenience of a legal process above the safety of the people they were meant to protect.

Ye is already in the Netherlands, the lawyer for the concert promoter confirmed.

How the row developed

A parliamentary majority backed a motion in May by the ChristenUnie and the VVD calling on the government to deny Ye entry.

Asylum and migration minister Bart van den Brink said last week there were no legal grounds to do so.

Arnhem also granted a permit for the concerts. Mayor Ahmed Marcouch called Ye’s past statements “reprehensible” but said his job was to weigh security and public order, which he judged to be properly arranged.

Ye’s record

Ye has drawn repeated criticism for antisemitic comments. Sportswear brand Adidas dropped him in 2022 after antisemitic posts on social media.

Last year he sold T-shirts bearing a swastika before his webshop was taken offline, and he released a track titled “Heil Hitler”. He has said his behaviour was caused by bipolar disorder, and apologised in a Wall Street Journal advertisement in January.

Concerts by Ye have been blocked or cancelled in the UK, France, Poland and Italy. The Netherlands appears to be the first European country to clear him to perform since the wave of bans began.