Kanye West barred from entering Australia over Hitler song, Tony Burke says
Guardian1 day
Australia Cancels Kanye West's Visa Over Hitler Song
Above: Kanye West and Bianca Censori attend the 67th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Image copyright: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images
The Spin
Australian Labor Party narrative
Ye's Hitler song was the final straw. Despite years of offensive rhetoric, the once beloved rapper had ample time to change, but persisted with antisemitic hate. His ban reflects Australia's strong stance against importing incendiary hatred, prioritizing community safety over his celebrity status.
Conservative Party narrative
While Australia is rightly defending the Jewish community, and praising Hitler is inexcusable, the Labor Party can't be allowed to use such incidents as an excuse to impose broader speech bans. Christians and conservatives are often targeted by these laws, and their voices should not be lumped into the same category as someone like Ye.
Cynical narrative
While Australia claims to defend all minority groups from hate speech, in reality, the government has prioritized Jews over Muslims. The media, which in Australia is controlled by right-wing Zionist Rupert Murdoch, is also involved, branding anti-Israel speech as antisemitic and misrepresenting antisemitic incidents as an excuse to target the pro-Palestine movement. It's crucial that both communities receive equal protection and support.