Italy bans Kanye West, Travis Scott concerts over security concerns

ROME- Italy has banned two concerts involving U.S. rappers Kanye West and Travis Scott due to take place in July in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, authorities said on Saturday.

The local prefect, Salvatore Angieri, ordered the cancellation because of concerns over public order and security, including the potential for protests.

West, also known as Ye, has faced a wave of cancellationsacross Europe this summer following years of antisemitic remarks, including statements praising Adolf Hitler and the release of content using Nazi imagery.

Scott, meanwhile, has faced scrutiny over safety at his concerts since a 2021 crowd crush at the Astroworld festival in Houston that killed 10 people and injured hundreds.

Scott had been due to perform at the "Pulse of Gaia Festival" on July 17 at the 103,000-seat RCF Arena, with Ye scheduled to appear the following day.

Angieri said the decision was taken following requests from consumer group CODACONS and the Jewish community in Modena and Reggio Emilia, which had raised particular concerns about Ye.

Authorities cited the close timing of the two shows and the high influx of spectators expected within 24 hours as factors behind the ban. They also pointed to the cancellation of other Ye concerts in Europe and the "concrete risk" of protests.

In April, Britain denied Ye entry on the grounds his presence would not be conducive to the public good. Later that month, he also postponed a Marseille show after reports the French government had sought to block it, while concerts in Poland and Switzerland were also cancelled.

Ye, who has apologised for past remarks and said they were linked to untreated bipolar disorder, has continued to perform in countries that have welcomed him, and is due to hold a concert in Istanbul later on Saturday.

He is also set to hold concerts in the Netherlands next month, after its migration minister said there were no legal grounds to deny him entry.

There was no immediate comment from Ye, Scott or the event organisers in Italy.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)