Organisers of the Rubicon hip-hop festival in Bratislava have cancelled this year’s event, which had been scheduled for 18–20 July, after mounting opposition to the planned headline appearance by Kanye West. The decision, announced late on 11 July, follows what the promoters called “media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and partners.” The backlash intensified after West released the track “Heil Hitler” on 8 May, the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. Thousands of people signed a petition calling the booking an insult to Holocaust victims, and several Slovak performers as well as sponsors quit the line-up. The Rubicon show would have been West’s only confirmed European performance this year. The rapper—who has 24 Grammy Awards but has drawn repeated criticism for antisemitic remarks—has faced growing restrictions elsewhere: Australia cancelled his visa on 2 July, and Germany barred distribution of the controversial song under its anti-extremism laws.