An Adelaide Holocaust memorial group previously targeted by neo-Nazis has written to the federal government urging it to block any moves by Kanye West to enter Australia, in light of his recent anti-Semitic comments.
Kanye West, legally known as “Ye”, has prompted criticism in recent weeks and months over anti-Semitic comments.(AP: Ashley Landis/ File)Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this articleabc.net.au/news/adelaide-holocaust-museum-urges-government-to-block-kanye-west/101906184
Key points:
- Kanye West reportedly intends to travel to Australia to visit his partner’s family
- The Adelaide Holocaust Museum has joined a growing chorus of voices urging any such move be blocked
- It described recent remarks by West as “dangerous” and “unhinged”
It has been reported the 45-year-old US rapper and designer, who is legally known as “Ye”, intends to travel to Melbourne to meet the family of his new Australian partner, Bianca Censori.
West recently praised Hitler during an interview with far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, saying he saw “good things” about the Nazi leader.
“I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis,” he said.
His Twitter account was also frozen over anti-Semitic posts the social media network said violated its policies.
The Australian Jewish Association has already written to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to demand West be blocked from entering Australia, with the federal government subsequently hinting that he would struggle to secure a visa.
The Adelaide Holocaust Museum — which was last year targeted when a of group hooded men gathered outside to pose for a photo and perform a fascist salute — has backed the push to keep West out of the country, releasing a letter it had written to Mr Giles.
“Without a doubt, your exercising of this power under the [Migration] Act would send a clear and much-needed message to the broader community that the Australian government will not tolerate hate speech and anti-Semitism regardless of your popularity or celebrity status,” chairperson Greg Adams wrote.
Museum board member Sean Hill described West’s remarks as “dangerous” and “unhinged”, and said it would be “just not acceptable” to welcome him into Australia.
“His rhetoric and ongoing anti-Semitic commentary is vilifying to the Jewish community and we think may further fan the flames of an already growing stream of anti-Semitic behaviour and action,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide’s Stacey Lee and Nikolai Beilharz.
“He is becoming a magnet for some of the people who are seeking to do harm in our community.”
Mr Hill said the government had the power to hold West to account.
“We’re not alone in calling for the blocking of Kanye West to this country, there are a number of groups all across the country and politicians from both sides of politics,” he said.
“He’s obviously allowed to say what he wants but … all we’re asking of the minister is to exercise the discretion afforded to them under the act.”
The Adelaide Holocaust Museum was launched in November 2020.(Supplied: Adelaide Holocaust Museum)
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Giles emphasised that the entry of non-citizens entering into Australia was conditional upon a range of requirements and considerations, including character.
“The minister cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy,” the spokesperson said.
“All non-citizens who enter Australia must meet, and continue to meet, requirements set out in the Migration Act, including security and character requirements.”
When asked about the matter last week, Education Minister Jason Clare told Channel Nine that “people like that who’ve applied for visas to get into Australia in the past have been rejected”.
“I don’t know if he’s applied for a visa yet — but Google it, you will see that he seems like he’s a pretty big fan of a person who killed six million Jewish people last century,” Mr Clare said
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/
