ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Turkey on Tuesday expressed alarm over a weekend gig by Kanye West in Istanbul attended by nearly 120,000 fans, saying it included elements that offended its spiritual sensitivities.

The United States (US) rapper has had shows banned in several European venues over his antisemitic remarks, but Muslim-majority Turkey’s objections were focused elsewhere.

In a post on X, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s chief advisor Oktay Saral said the show featured “rhetoric and symbols that run counter to our faith and civilisational values”.