“The decision to organize a Kanye West concert in Poland is unacceptable”, Culture Minister Marta Cienkowska wrote on social media.
“We are talking about an artist who has publicly made anti-Semitic statements, relativized crimes and profited from selling T-shirts with swastikas. These are not ‘controversies’. This is a deliberate crossing of boundaries and normalization of hatred”, she said.
“In a country marked by the history of the Holocaust, we cannot pretend this is just entertainment”, she added. “Artistic freedom does not mean consent to everything. Culture cannot be a space for those who use it to spread contempt”.
West is due to perform on June 19 at Chorzow’s Silesian Stadium. The planned appearance has triggered debate in Poland over the limits of artistic freedom.
West has faced repeated criticism in recent years over social media posts containing anti-Semitic content and references to Nazi ideology. He also drew condemnation after selling products featuring Nazi symbols and making statements expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler.
The planned concert in Poland comes after British authorities refused to admit West to the country, saying his presence would not be “conducive to the public good”. He had been due to headline London’s Wireless Festival, which organizers later canceled.
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Source: Polish Radio