It is perhaps the most discussed and charged concert series of the year. Tonight, American rap icon Kanye West (Ye) will perform in a sold-out Gelredome. Thousands of fans paid hundreds of euros to finally see their idol on Dutch soil again after thirteen years. A protest against the arrival of rapper Ye has now started at the stadium.
Ye has come under controversy in recent years for anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi statements. The Center for Information and Documentation Israel (Cidi) therefore previously announced a protest action for tonight and will be joined by two one-man demonstrations. Banners are displayed in a specially designed demonstration area near the North Entrance, including warnings.
There are about twelve people in the section by 5:30 p.m. There are several police vans at the stadium, including from the mobile unit.
The red banners of the demonstrators contain texts such as: ‘Warning. The artist you are about to view sold T-shirts with this print in his webshop with an image of a swastika, and underneath: ‘We thought you should know this’. Another banner reads: ‘The artist you are about to view has previously stated: ‘I like Hitler‘. We thought you should know this.’
Historic evening
It will be a historic evening for fans of the rapper. It is Ye’s first European live concert since 2014 and his first show in the Netherlands since 2013.
The run on tickets for tonight was huge and caused chaotic scenes online. The tickets were completely sold out within an hour and a half, after which a second show was quickly announced for next Monday.
Weeks of political tug-of-war
Ye’s visit to the Netherlands has been accompanied by great social outrage in recent weeks. The rapper has repeatedly been discredited in recent years due to anti-Semitic statements and public praise of Adolf Hitler. These statements have caused a political and legal battle in the Netherlands in recent weeks.
However, State Secretary Claudia van Bruggen (D66) announced that, although banning the artist was not legally possible, the cabinet will listen to his concert very closely for Jew Hatred. “If Ye crosses the line, we will act,” Van Bruggen promised in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
‘Disgusting’
Arnhem mayor Ahmed Marcouch was also upset about the arrival of the rapper. Although he called Ye’s statements “disgusting,” he stressed that he should not deny the permit based on an artist’s views. Marcouch did make a moral appeal to Ye and invited him to visit the Holocaust museum.
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