Snoop Dogg not welcome in Hague

AMSTERDAM - US rapper Snoop Dogg, a frequent visitor to the Netherlands and aficionado of its readily available marijuana, will not be allowed to perform at a free concert in The Hague, authorities said on Thursday.

The mayor of the Dutch city, public prosecutors and the police have asked organizers of the Parkpop festival, billed as the largest in Europe, to find another act to replace Snoop Dogg "in order to be able to guarantee the open and friendly character and free admission of Parkpop" to be held June 27.

Notorious for his appreciation of marijuana and hash, which are sold openly in the Netherlands at stores called "coffee shops", Snoop Dogg is a frequent visitor and usually holds concerts in the European country at least once a year.