Florida leaders push to cancel Kanye West Tampa concerts over history of antisemitic comments
A bipartisan group of Florida political leaders and Jewish community members is urging the Tampa Sports Authority to cancel upcoming concerts by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, citing his history of antisemitic remarks and actions.
Speaking Monday at The Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Sen. Rick Scott said West should not be allowed to perform at taxpayer-supported facilities and called on officials to cancel the artist's scheduled June 26 and June 28 concerts at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
"We should never allow antisemitism anywhere, and we have to stand up against it," Scott said.
Scott was joined by a bipartisan coalition that included Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Tampa; Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice; and former Gov. Charlie Crist, a Democrat who is running for mayor of St. Petersburg.
Scott emphasized that opposition to West's performances transcends political divisions.
"We're here standing together because this is bigger than politics," Scott said.
Florida officials cite antisemitic comments and actions
West has faced widespread criticism in recent years for a series of antisemitic statements and actions, including posting "I am a Nazi" on social media, selling merchandise featuring swastikas and releasing a music video titled "Heil Hitler."
Earlier this month, Scott sent a letter to the Tampa Sports Authority, which owns Raymond James Stadium, urging the agency to cancel the concerts.
"West's remarks are vile and a slap in the face to our state's Jewish community. It is troubling that a stadium supported by taxpayer dollars would openly subsidize an event led by an artist known for pushing this dangerous, hateful rhetoric, especially with Florida having one of the largest Jewish populations in our country," the letter states.
The Tampa Sports Authority responded in a statement, saying it does not support West's remarks but intends to uphold free speech principles in operating the venue.
"We do not condone" West's comments, the authority said, but "we follow the principles of free speech in operating our venue."
Moody argued that concerns about the concerts extend beyond the Jewish community because the venue is publicly owned.
"When you have a taxpayer funded body that is prioritizing hate and antisemitism, they have a lot of explaining to do," Moody said.
Jewish community says apology falls short
In January, West issued a public apology for his antisemitic comments in a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, attributing his behavior to struggles with bipolar disorder.
"I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though," West wrote.
But leaders in Tampa's Jewish community said they are not ready to accept the apology given what they describe as a prolonged pattern of hateful conduct.
"The Talmud contains many teachings that emphasize repentance, forgiveness, the possibility of redemption and encourages people to forgive one another. We completely embrace those principles and hope Ye's apology is authentic," the Tampa Jewish Community Centers and Federation said in a statement. "Nonetheless, factoring in his sustained campaign of hatred, we think it's much too early to consider beginning to forgive him."
In response to the scheduled concerts, The Florida Holocaust Museum announced it will waive admission fees on June 26, 27 and 28.
"Our organization will continue to work toward a time when society will consider antisemitism a disqualifying trait," the museum said in a statement. "Until then we will keep supporting the Jewish community as we educate about how to fight antisemitism, and why that fight matters."