ROME, ITALY: Kanye West will be performing in Italy next week after late official request was made for venue approval.
The gig, which is already sold-out, is expected to bring 100,000 people in the audience.
Despite the protests by war veterans over the ‘Heartless’ crooner lauding Adolf Hitler recently, the show is going ahead as per schedule.
As per Daily Mail, stagehands were busy building a set at an out-of-town open-air arena near Reggio Emilio for West.
Organizers going ahead with the preparation in full-swing
Heavy trucks have been arriving and leaving the RCF Arena at Reggio Emilia near Bologna since a few days.
Moreover, on Thursday, October 12, a private jet was seen at a nearby airstrip and a car with blacked-out windows was spotted reaching the venue, which many believe to be of Kanye.
Previously, Reggio Emilia prefect Maria Rita Cocciufa said that ‘no official permission had been received to stage the gig.’ But, the outlet reports that a request has now been made and approved for Friday, October 20.
Cocciufa shared that a public safety cabinet meeting would be held at the regional government office on Monday, October 16, to plan the event.
She said, “It's not my job to get involved in any controversy regarding this artist – my job is to ensure the event is held safely and securely.”
“I can assure you we will do that, and we will undoubtedly need extra police reinforcements,” she added.
What did Kanye West say about the Nazis?
West shocked many after praising German dictator Adolf Hitler in a television interview in 2022.
“I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis. There's a lot of things that I love about Hitler, a lot of things, I like Hitler, I am a Nazi,” he said.
Albertina Soliani, vice president of (ANPI) National Association of Italian Partisans, was not happy to see the rapper performing.
“It's time to say enough to these people who believe they can say what they want,” she said.
“Someone can be a fantastic singer but then they are also judged by what they say, and West has made some inhumane declarations and with what's happening in the world today we cannot accept this concert,” she further said.
Soliani added, “We are focused every day with carrying certain values which are liberty and democracy and then with this we just have to start again from the beginning.”
“In my opinion, he should stay at home. Reggio Emilia has always appreciated people who have fought for determine principles and we are on the side of the oppressed and not those who preach hate,” she concluded.
