Italian authorities have canceled planned performances by rapper Kanye West and Travis Scott at a major music festival in northern Italy, citing public safety and security concerns.

The concerts were scheduled to take place at the 103,000-capacity RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia as part of the Pulse of Gaia Festival, with Scott set to perform on July 17 and West, who now goes by Ye, scheduled to take the stage the following day.

Local prefect Salvatore Angieri announced the cancellation on Saturday, saying the decision was made due to concerns over public order, security risks, and the potential for large-scale protests.

The move follows objections from consumer advocacy group CODACONS and representatives of the Jewish communities in Modena and Reggio Emilia, who raised concerns about West’s planned appearance because of his history of antisemitic comments.

West has faced growing criticism and a series of canceled appearances across Europe in recent years following controversial remarks, including praise for Adolf Hitler and the use of Nazi-related imagery in some of his public content.

Authorities said the close scheduling of the two concerts, combined with the expected influx of tens of thousands of spectators within a short period, increased security concerns. Officials also pointed to the cancellation of other West performances elsewhere in Europe and what they described as a credible risk of demonstrations surrounding the event.

Scott’s concert was also canceled as part of the decision. The rapper has faced heightened scrutiny over crowd safety since the 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy in Houston, where a crowd surge left 10 people dead and hundreds injured.

Officials said the cancellations were intended to prevent potential public safety issues and maintain order in the region.