Kanye West has received approval from the Netherlands to perform in June, while much of Europe continues to block his tour dates over anti-Semitic comments.
Kanye West has received approval from Dutch officials to perform in Arnhem from June 6 to 8, 2026, despite massive protests breaking out across the country calling on the government to block his performances.
Deputy Prime Minister Bart van den Brink officially announced the decision and said authorities could not find sufficient legal basis to block the show based on his past remarks alone.
The Netherlands became one of the few European countries willing to allow him to tour, in stark contrast to the continent’s overwhelming rejection of his planned tours.
The approval comes after West’s anti-Semitic comments led to cancellations across Europe.
He released a song called “Heil Hitler” and made comments that drew condemnation from international Jewish organizations and government officials.
In January, he bought a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal to apologize for the comments, which he attributed to his bipolar 1 diagnosis, which he said led to “manic episodes of psychosis, paranoia and impulsive behavior that lasted for four months.”
Many remain skeptical of his sincerity, questioning whether his apology is sincere or simply a strategic move to save his tour.
The UK banned him outright in April, forcing him to cancel a major festival appearance.
The mayor of Marseille publicly stated that Kanye West was “not welcome” in the city, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez made it clear that the government was “firmly” preventing any concerts from taking place on French soil.
Poland canceled its planned venue following direct pressure from the government, followed closely by Switzerland. European rejection was almost universal, with only sporadic dates surviving political and social backlash.
However, the tour across the continent remains partially intact.
The dates for Tbilisi on June 12, Albania on July 11, Madrid on July 30 and Portugal on August 7 are still set.
Before Europe, he performed in India on May 23 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi and in Turkey on May 30 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, where 75,000 tickets have been sold.
His Tampa shows at Raymond James Stadium from June 26 to 28 met with little organized opposition, underscoring how the response from American audiences and authorities differed from the coordinated boycotts in Europe.
