Australian Jewish leaders welcome Kanye ban
Jewish leaders have welcomed the decision to ban Kanye West from Australia, describing his relentless antisemitic campaign as dangerous and a threat to Jewish communities worldwide.
West, now legally known as Ye, had his Australian visa cancelled after releasing a song called “Heil Hitler” earlier this year in which he refers to himself as a Nazi and includes a sample from a 1935 Adolf Hitler speech.
The track has been widely condemned for its antisemitic content and promotion of Nazi ideology. The song has since been removed from major streaming platforms. Earlier this year, Ye also faced international condemnation after attempting to sell T-shirts emblazoned with swastikas through his Yeezy fashion label.
West has more than 20 million followers on Instagram and over 33 million on X. Following a series of inflammatory posts in early 2025, his follower count on X increased by over 160,000, indicating that his online influence persists despite, or perhaps because of, the controversies surrounding him.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said West’s actions had caused immeasurable harm and emboldened expressions of hatred across society.
“Kanye West’s use of mass media and an enormous platform to relentlessly attack the Jewish people completely trashed his reputation and revealed a malignant character,” Mr Ryvchin said.
“It can be argued that his social media and podcast campaign in which he revived every antisemitic slur and myth imaginable fundamentally endangered Jews around the world and brought legitimacy to the expressions of hatred that are now commonplace in the music industry, the arts and wider society.
“His social media statement in May declaring he was ‘done with antisemitism’ has not undone the immeasurable harm he caused. The Minister acted correctly in our view in denying the visa.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the visa cancellation on Wednesday, saying immigration officials reassessed West’s eligibility after hearing the offensive song.
“My officials looked at it again once he released the ‘Heil Hitler’ song, and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia,” Mr Burke told ABC TV.
When the song was released in May the American Jewish Committee (AJC) described it as “hate speech, pure and simple,” criticising its release on Victory in Europe Day as particularly offensive.
West, who is married to Melbourne-born Bianca Censori, had previously visited Australia but was denied entry this time based on promoting Nazi ideology.
The decision follows years of controversy surrounding West’s public statements and behaviour, including his praise of Adolf Hitler and repeated use of antisemitic tropes. Ye’s supporters have repeatedly excused his behaviour by blaming mental health struggles, artistic expression, or claims that his remarks are being misinterpreted.
The 24-time Grammy winner has faced mounting global backlash for antisemitic remarks, extremist behaviour, and marketing clothing featuring swastikas through his Yeezy brand. His talent agency dropped him earlier this year and e-commerce platform Shopify shut down his online store.
Jewish organisations say West’s rhetoric has emboldened hate groups and made antisemitism more visible in mainstream culture.
“This is not about music,” Mr Ryvchin said. “It’s about protecting people from dangerous propaganda disguised as entertainment.”
