Kanye West offers to ‘meet members of the Jewish community’ in the UK

Kanye West has offered to meet with members of the British Jewish community, saying that “I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions.”

The announcement last week that the rapper and musician would be headlining the Wireless festival in Finsbury park this summer led to widespread condemnation due to West’s past behaviour, which includes two distinct months-long episodes where he identified as a Nazi and issued a number of antisemitic comments.

In a statement released by Wireless festival this morning, West said:

Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

“I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly. My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music. I would grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”

At the time of the original announcement by Wireless festival, key Jewish communal groups described the intention to have West headline multiple nights in July as “completely unacceptable” and “deeply irresponsible”. Both the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education have condemned it, and on Monday it was reported that Ministers were actively considering whether to bar West from entering the country later this year.

More in UK News

July 17, 2026

Gaza family of 18 wins legal fight to join refugee relative in UK despite Home Office refusal

By Annabel Sinclair

July 17, 2026

Over 1,000 UK Jews sign letter backing ban on trade with Israeli settlements

By Lee Harpin

July 17, 2026

Muslim and Jewish leaders launch joint drive to rebuild trust after rising tensions

By Annabel Sinclair

Last night, the boss of the company which runs Wireless Festival, Melvin Benn, released a lengthy statement talking about “forgiveness and giving people a second chance” and saying that “we are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.”

On Sunday, Pepsi, the main sponsor of Wireless festival, announced that they would be pulling their sponsorship. They were subsequently followed by Diageo and PayPal, who had previously been other corporate backers of the event.

Responding directly to West’s latest offer, Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies, said:

“It has been less than a year since Kanye West released a song entitled “Heil Hitler”, the culmination of three years of appalling antisemitism. He also made a number of deeply offensive comments about the Black community, saying that the 400-year experience of slavery was ‘like a choice’.

“Even while claiming remorse today, his latest album includes a track first released last year with the abhorrent title Gas Chamber. The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival.

“As such, we are willing to meet Kanye West as part of his journey of healing, but only after he agrees not to play the Wireless Festival for this year.”

A spokesperson for the Jewish Leadership Council said: “Kanye West’s recent history of vile antisemitism was fully known to the festival organisers when they invited him. Now with the entirely predictable backlash they are facing, the British Jewish community is being asked to help save their festival. We are not going to meet Kanye West for that purpose.”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Kanye West and Wireless have to choose: profit or principle. If Mr West cancels his appearances at Wireless, it will be a sign that he may be genuine in his remorse. If he does not, then a meeting with Jewish groups can serve no purpose other than to kosher his invitation to the Festival – which we will play no part in.

“Kanye West still has tracks on sale with titles such as ‘Heil Hitler’ and ‘Gas chamber’. We want to see genuine signs of remorse from the man who last year said he made $40 million by selling swastika t-shirts via an ad he ran during the Super Bowl. Cancelling this premature gig would be a start, since Mr West has previously made apologies right before album releases and concert tours and then retracted the apology and reverted to type. We need to be persuaded that this time is will be different.

“As for Melvin Benn, Wireless’ promoter, telling us that he spent a gap year in Israel several decades ago and that he forgives Mr West insults everyone’s intelligence. This is about profit, not forgiveness. Nobody knows what might come out of Mr West’s mouth on that stage or subsequently, least of all Mr Benn. That is why if the appearances go ahead, we will be organising a mass demonstration outside the Festival, whose organisers should be ashamed of themselves.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said:

“If Kanye West really was sorry, he would have taken steps to show that a long time ago rather than offering empty gestures at the eleventh hour amidst controversy.

“Wireless knowingly chose to invite someone who released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ and still has a song on his album entitled ‘Gas chamber’.

“The fact Wireless are now defending the indefensible shows they are only interested in making money, not responsibility or accountability. No one should be taking lectures from them on forgiveness.”