Multiple Jewish groups have responded to Kanye West’s offer to meet and discuss his history of anti-Semitic comments, and said that he should not play at Wireless Festival.
The rapper has a history of making anti-Semitic remarks on social media and in interviews. Recently, he was announced last week as the headliner for all three nights of the festival in London’s Finsbury Park in July, with the shows being described as a three-night journey through his “most iconic records”.
Unsurprisingly, the booking has prompted widespread criticism, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who called it “deeply concerning” that the rapper had been booked despite his “celebration of Nazism”.
A series of festival sponsors have also cut their ties with Wireless too, including Pepsi, drinks giant Diageo, PayPal and Rockstar Energy, piling enormous pressure on the festival to take action. Melvin Benn, the managing director of Festival Republic, which co-promotes Wireless alongside Live Nation, has described West’s past remarks as “abhorrent” but kept him on the bill and called on people to “offer some forgiveness”.
Amid Wireless Festival controversy, Kanye West has released a statement offering to meet members of the Jewish community in the UK:
“My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music. […] I know words aren’t enough… pic.twitter.com/bDWGeJ9YAn
— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 7, 2026
Following the backlash, West addressed the controversy in an update to his Wall Street Journal “to those I’ve hurt” letter, which he originally shared in January. In the amended letter, he said that he would “would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person” to listen to them and apologise again for his comments.
Now, some UK-based Jewish groups have responded to his request to meet, but stood by their stance that he should not be allowed to perform at Wireless.
In a statement shared online, the Board of Deputies of British Jews –the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the country – recalled how it has been “than a year since Kanye West released a song entitled ‘Heil Hitler’”, which followed on from “three years of appalling anti-Semitism”.
They also highlighted how he has also made “deeply offensive comments about the Black community” too and, despite his apologies, his “latest album includes a track first released last year with the abhorrent title ‘Gas Chamber’”.
“Even while claiming remorse today, #Ye‘s 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… pic.twitter.com/Uts8sfbba4
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) April 7, 2026
Their statement continued: “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 this year.”
They also shared a statement with Melvin Benn, who recently defended the decision to book Ye.
“After a week of Wireless Festival avoiding any media, Melvin Benn’s statement will not reassure many within the Jewish or other communities against whom Kanye West’s invective was directed over a much longer period than his more recent apology,” wrote the group’s president, Phil Rosenberg.
“The two key facts remain that Kanye West proclaimed himself a Nazi, and that Wireless stands to benefit financially from his performance,” the statement continued. “It is time for Wireless to do the decent thing and rescind an invitation they never should have offered. Kanye West may well be on the path to health and healing. We sincerely hope that he is. But the space to test this is not over three days on the Wireless main stage.”
Board of Deputies President responds to the statement released by the Managing Director of Festival Republic, Melvin Benn. pic.twitter.com/CjNi4Cw0I6
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) April 6, 2026
A spokesperson for another group, Campaign Against Antisemitism, shared a similar stance and said that if West drops out of 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,” their statement continued, also referencing the anti-Semitic song titles he has, his history of selling swastika t-shirts, and his decision to revoke his apologies.
“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,” the statement continued.
“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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/MGcqbd5nv5
— Campaign Against Antisemitism (@antisemitism) April 7, 2026
As well as the Prime Minister, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also spoken out against the decision to book Ye at Wireless, and Sajid Javid – the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and current chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust – also condemned the festival for booking West, and said he was “certain” the Home Secretary would stop the rapper from entering the UK if Wireless didn’t cancel the shows.
David Schwimmer has taken to social media to publicly condemn the decision to book the rapper for the festival too, and it has emerged that Ye’s right to enter the UK is under government review.
