More than 29,000 sign petition to have Wiley’s MBE removed
Change.org says the government should pay 'close attention to the fact Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have banned Wiley, and listen to the thousands who signed the petition'
More than 29,000 people have signed a petition urging the government to strip Wiley of his MBE. The call was made after the musician was removed from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram after launching his antisemitic outburst.
He is also being investigated by police over the posts and was dropped by his management company. Before being removed from social media channels, a 48-hour Twitter boycott took place to highlight the company’s inaction, after many of his incendiary tweets remained live for hours.
When approached by Jewish News for comment, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “The forfeiture process is confidential and it would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases.”
You can view the petition here.
Writing to Parliament and the Prime Minister, the petitioner on Change.org says Wiley “shared deeply antisemitic messages and videos … inciting violence against the Jewish community, with no thought about the people this will hurt and the children who will see
these messages.”
“The Cabinet Office must remove his MBE, to make clear to the British Jewish community and wider society that these messages are unacceptable and dangerous.
“He cannot be allowed to hold such an important title whilst being a known antisemite.”
Executive Director of Change.org UK, Kajal Odedra, said: “As soon as the news broke about Wiley’s antisemitic comments, dozens of people started petitions on Change.org for his MBE to be removed. Since then, over 27,000 people have signed Sophie’s petition, which is a clear sign of the strength of feeling about this issue.
The Cabinet Office should be paying close attention to the fact Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have all banned Wiley this week, and listen to the thousands of people who want his MBE removed.”
Prominent Jewish barrister Jeremy Brier of Essex Court Chambers also wrote to the Cabinet Office, saying “the honour of MBE bestowed upon the musician Richard Kylea Cowie Jr, known as ‘Wiley’, should be forfeited by reason of his extraordinary and sustained publication of vicious antisemitic views”.
Wiley, known as the Godfather of Grime, was made an MBE for services to music in 2018.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism has said it will contact the Cabinet Office to ask for Wiley’s MBE to be revoked.
According to Sky News, Wiley said he would be willing to give it up as he “never wanted it”.
He told the broadcaster: “I never felt comfortable going to get it. Just look at Britain’s colonialism history.”
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