Music

Wiley tweets: Why what the grime artist said on Twitter was anti-Semitic


Wiley is facing a police investigation, has been dropped by his management, and been temporarily banned from Twitter after going on a two-day anti-Semitic rant.

The grime star, 41, shared several anti-Semitic tropes and false conspiracy theories about Jewish people, even comparing them to the Ku Klux Klan.

Home Secretary Priti Patel criticised both Twitter an Instagram for not immediately removing the posts from their platforms.

“Social media companies must act much faster to remove such appalling hatred from their platforms,” she said.

What did Wiley say?

Wiley posted a slew of offensive messages about Jewish people on Friday before being temporarily banned by Twitter. He continued the rant after his account was unfrozen on Saturday.

He compared Jewish people to the KKK, posting: “There are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge #Jewish & #KKK but being in business for 20 years you start to understand why. Red Necks Are the KKK and Jewish people are the Law… Work that out.”

One of Wiley’s offensive tweets comparing Jewish people to the KKK (Photo: Twitter)

He called Jewish people “snakes” and “cowards”, claimed they are at “war” with black people, said they were responsible for the slave trade and suggested they deserve to be shot.

Wiley also repeated anti-Semitic tropes such as Jewish people controlling wealth, and said he didn’t “care” about Hitler.

He added: “If you work for a company owned by 2 Jewish men and you challenge the Jewish community in anyway of course you will get fired.”

Why were Wiley’s posts anti-Semitic?

Jewish people controlling wealth is a well-known anti-Semitic trope that has existed for thousands of years, with zero basis in fact.

It can be traced all the way back to Judas and his betrayal of Jesus for “30 pieces of silver”. Throughout history Judas has been depicted as more stereotypically Jewish than the other disciples, who are often portrayed with fair hair.

Jewish people have also been incorrectly accused of controlling the banks, depicted as greedy, and compared to rats and insects. Famous negative depictions of Jewish people in this way include Fagin in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.

Wiley also repeated un untrue conspiracy theory that Jewish people usurped black people in Israel, and enslaved them, taking their position.

Wiley also posted rants on Instagram (Photo: Instagram)

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism said: “The conspiracy theories evoked by Wiley today claiming that white Jews were responsible for the slave trade and usurped the position of black people have caused recent bloodshed, for example the terrorist attack against Jews in Monsey, New York in December.

“Wiley has many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and we have seen today that a significant number of them truly believe the unhinged hatred that he is spreading. We are treating this as a very serious matter which must be met with the firmest of responses.”

Police investigation

On Saturday, London’s Metropolitan Police Service said: “We have received a number of reports relating to alleged anti-Semitic tweets posted on social media.

“The Met takes all reports of anti-Semitism extremely seriously. The relevant material is being assessed. Anyone with further information can report it online or via 101 with reference 4219917/20.”

The musician’s manager John Woolf of A-List Management, who is Jewish, said the company had “cut all ties” with the Grime star. He wrote: “There is no place in society for anti-Semitism.”



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