Holocaust Museum LA invited Kanye West to a private tour. Now it’s target of antisemitic attacks.
The Museum of the Holocaust is reeling after it was revealed the private tour to the rapper Kanye West scheduled for a day after the museum unveiled a new exhibit on the life of former child slave Adolf Hitler was cancelled, according to NBC News.
“There were people in the museum who expressed concern about this event being held next to their work,” museum spokeswoman Jennifer Pizer told the outlet. “We asked that he be removed from our premises.”
The museum was planning to offer free tickets to people who could attend with reservations and those who could not make the trip. In addition, the museum would provide tickets on eBay to those who could make the trip “without reservations.” In addition, museums around the country were planning similar events to raise money for the museum.
According to Pizer, the rapper’s representative was unaware of the event. “We are shocked and saddened to learn that these events are in any way connected to the museum’s announcement that it will be hosting a conversation on how the Holocaust changed America. The events are planned independently by independent groups,” a representative for an organization set to host the event said in a statement.
Museum officials said they were also planning to host a conversation with Kanye West about antisemitism and called the cancellation a “surprise” and “a disappointment.”
“We felt that he could make a deeper connection through his own artistic talents and his personal passion for social justice,” a spokesperson for the event announced on social media.
In a statement to NBC, the museum said the rapper’s cancelled appearance was an indication that the museum was becoming overly politicized and not politically neutral. “It is sad that this event feels politically charged and we have attempted to minimize any political intent to the best of our ability,” the statement said. “We’ve been working closely with the White House for many years on a national conversation.”
On Thursday, the museum said it would host a talk with Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, a psychology professor known for his controversial opposition to political correctness. On Friday, the museum announced the event would be called “Adolf Hitler and Me: A Conversation with Dr. Jordan B. Peterson.” The event took place on May 21 at 3: