The Israeli Community of Lisbon (CIL) has expressed its opposition to Kanye West’s planned concert in the Algarve because the organisers have access to public finances and facilities for the show.
CIL has sent a request to the Faro and Loulé city councils and to the national government not to give the show any support.
The concert is scheduled to take place at the Algarve Stadium on 7 August.
David Botelho, president of CIL, believes that the state is “normalising” the granting of support “to initiatives and individuals with anti-Semitic speeches and attitudes”.
Speaking to the Portuguese news agency Lusa, Botelho said he found it “shocking” that resources were being mobilised for the event, claiming that it was “not only allowing a well-known anti-Semite to perform in Portugal, but also in a public facility that belongs to everyone”.
In the same interview, the president of CIL described the situation as an “unacceptable normalisation of something that cannot be normalised, namely hate speech”.
So far, the Israeli Community of Lisbon has not received a response from the municipalities concerned.
Concert in Portugal goes ahead despite controversy
The American rapper, who also goes by the stage name Ye, has seen his European tour dates ravaged with several concerts cancelled, particularly in states where concerns about anti-Semitic attacks are growing.
Countries such as France, Poland and Switzerland have either postponed or annulled the artist’s concerts and the UK has even refused him a visa to enter the country.
At the heart of the controversy is the American musician’s history of anti-Semitic and racist comments, which have led to him losing precious advertising contracts, endorsements and crucially, fans.
Portugal is one of the countries included in Kanye West’s European tour but, for the time being, the event is not under threat and the government only admits to taking action if there is a risk.
“There have been countries that have clearly said: this gentleman does not enter,” Botelho explained to Lusa, emphasising that the Israeli community does not want such drastic action, even though, according to him, it could be justified.
“The signs of anti-Semitism, hate speech directed at Jews, denial of the Holocaust, public praise of Hitler and Nazism on the part of the individual in question are notorious,” added Botelho.