Wireless Festival has been hit by a wave of fury from fans after organisers cancelled the event just hours after presale tickets sold out with many branding the decision “performative nonsense”.
The backlash comes after Kanye West was blocked from entering the UK, forcing the three-day London festival to be scrapped entirely.
The controversial rapper — now known as Ye — had been due to headline all three nights in Finsbury Park, playing to around 150,000 people across the weekend. His booking had already drawn heavy criticism over his history of antisemitic remarks.
But anger intensified when tickets sold out in under an hour on Tuesday, only for organisers to cancel the festival shortly afterwards.
Fans quickly turned on Wireless, questioning both the original booking and the lack of a contingency plan.
One wrote: “You shouldn’t have booked him in the first place and you had time to find a replacement. This is performative nonsense.”
Another added: “What were you thinking even booking him? Did you not think it might be a risk?”
A third fumed: “Cancelling straight after presale is ridiculous,” while another said: “Genuinely one of the worst business decisions I’ve seen.”
Others criticised organisers more broadly, with one posting: “I don’t know who your booking team is but I’d want a serious discussion about what went through their minds.”
Despite the backlash, some welcomed the outcome, with one fan writing: “Thank you for being so brave.”
The Government refused West entry on the grounds that his “presence would not be conducive to the public good”, after he applied to travel via an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless. This Government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting also criticised the rapper, describing it as “appalling” that he had been booked and accusing organisers of putting “money before morals”.
In a statement, festival promoter Festival Republic said: “The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.”
They added that “multiple stakeholders were consulted” ahead of booking the rapper and that “no concerns were highlighted at the time”, while stressing that “antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent”.
West had earlier defended his planned appearance, saying he wanted to bring “unity, peace and love” to London and was willing to meet members of the Jewish community, adding: “I know words aren’t enough — I’ll have to show change through my actions.”
The festival had already faced mounting pressure in recent days, with sponsors including Pepsi and Diageo withdrawing support and campaign groups calling for the rapper to be barred from entering the UK.
