Australia has cancelled the visa of US rapper Kanye West over his song glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, the government announced Wednesday.
The 48-year-old musician, who legally changed his name to Ye, released the track titled “Heil Hitler” on May 8, marking the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
West—whose wife, Bianca Censori, is Australian—has been visiting the country for some time due to having family there, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.
“He’s made a lot of offensive comments. But my officials looked at it again once he released the ‘Heil Hitler’ song, and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia.”
Burke explained that the cancelled visa was not intended for holding concerts.
“It was a lower level, and the officials still looked at the law and said: You’re going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism — we don’t need that in Australia,” he told public broadcaster ABC.
When asked whether barring such a popular figure was sustainable, the minister responded, “I think what’s not sustainable is to import hatred.”
He added that immigration officials review each visa application individually.
Australian citizens have freedom of speech, Burke noted.
“But we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry.”
— AFP
