Security concerns have led to the cancellation of Kehlani's upcoming concert in Central Park, which was scheduled as part of the SummerStage series amid New York City's Pride celebrations. The announcement came from the Mayor's office citing the potential for safety issues, as reported by PIX11 News. According to the festival's Instagram post, the city raised concerns over "security and safety issues regarding the June 26 Kehlani concert," as well as the demands on security for other Pride events taking place during the same period.
The decision to cancel the Central Park concert follows a similar move by Cornell University, which revoked an invitation for Kehlani to perform due to what it described as "antisemitic, anti-Israel" views, an allegation the singer denies. The controversy began to unfold, after Kehlani expressed support for Palestinians and used the term "intifada" in a social media post, drawing backlash from certain quarters. A statement obtained by CBS News from the First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro indicated that the controversy surrounding Kehlani, paired with high security demands, influenced their course of action.
Kehlani's response to the cancellation was brief and seemingly nonchalant, as they shared the news on social media with a simple "lol." PEN America, an organization that defends freedom of expression for artists, called the concert cancellations "cowardly." They criticized the influence of political figures on the artistic events, stating, "It is deeply unsettling to see elected officials using their offices to dictate the bounds of acceptable expression and muscling private entities to fall into line," in response to comments made by U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres, as per CBS News.
In defense of their position, the singer clarified their stance, "For the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew," Kehlani said in a video. "I am anti-genocide. I am anti-the actions of the Israeli government. I am anti-an extermination of an entire people. I am anti-the bombing of innocent children, men, women — that's what I'm anti," according to a statement from Billboard relayed by CBS News. Despite the claim, the planned show, which was set to coincide with Pride events in New York City, will not proceed as originally scheduled. The situation continues to fuel discussions on freedom of expression and artistic liberties, remaining a topic of broad public debate.
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