Kehlani's Central Park concert canceled over security concerns
A planned concert in Central Park headlined by R&B singer Kehlani has been canceled.
The singer has been vocal in supporting Palestinians during the ongoing war in Gaza, but she's also accused of promoting antisemitism.
According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams' office, the concert was canceled due to security concerns.
Kehlani was scheduled to perform as part of SummerStage in Central Park during Pride festivities in June.
"With all that's going on, would this impact public safety? And we wanted to do an analysis and to make sure that it wouldn't, and based on, without us having to go through that full analysis, the [City Parks Foundation] made that determination," Adams said Tuesday. "We're not the first to have looked at this performer and talked about the cancellation."
The cancellation comes after Cornell University canceled a Kehlani concert because of what it called her "antisemitic, anti-Israel" views.
Her music video "Next 2 U," opens with the phrase "long live the intifada" and features dancers waving Palestinian flags. Intifada, an Arabic word for "uprising" or "resistance," is seen by some as a call for violence against Jews.
The mayor's office, however, did not cite that as the reason in this case.
Kehlani has pushed back at claims she had expressed antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiments.
"For the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew," she said in a video, also posted on Instagram. "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."
Friday, Rep. Ritchie Torres took his concerns about her performance to social media, while sharing some of the singer's social media posts.
"In light of these concerns, the concert has been cancelled"
"We write to advise you that we have security concerns about this event, given the controversy surrounding Kehlani's scheduled performance at Cornell University (causing University officials to cancel the appearance), the security precautions needed for an event like this in Central Park, and the security demands throughout the City for other Pride events during this same period of time," First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro wrote in a letter to the City Parks Foundation Monday. "If the Foundation does not promptly take steps to ensure public safety, the City reserves all rights and remedies with respect to the Foundation's license."
"We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds. However, the safety and security of our guests is of the utmost importance and in light of these concerns, the concert has been cancelled," SummerStage posted on social media. "While artists may choose to express their own opinions, their views may not necessarily be representative of the festival."
The Associated Press reports that Kehlani shared the announcement on social media with the phrase "lol."
"We need to praise the city for taking this action, for intervening on behalf of Jewish New Yorkers. The hate that has been platformed by this artist has no place on a taxpayer-funded stage," American Jewish Committee New York Director Josh Kramer said.
PEN America, a group that advocates for artists' freedom of expression, called the move concerning.
"I think that we have to recognize that artists ought to have, you know, their freedom of expression protected, their freedom to make political statements as they choose. And we really shouldn't have government officials meddling in that," PEN America's Jonathan Friedman said. "Today it's about Kehlani. It's about SummerStage. But where is it going tomorrow?"
"Though the details of this specific cancellation remain sparse and protecting New Yorkers' safety is paramount, censoring differing viewpoints or cancelling events due to 'controversy' is never the right response," said Justin Harrison of the New York Civil Liberties Union. "Any attempts by the government to control or silence certain viewpoints pose free speech concerns — and undermine the vibrant, diverse spaces in which New York City thrives."
