The people still defending Kanye West over antisemitism controversy

Kanye West continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, after being heavily criticised for making antisemitic comments.

Last week, Twitter and Instagram locked West’s accounts due to posts that were deemed antisemitic, including a tweet in which the rapper said he would soon go “death con 3 on Jewish people”.

According to the AP news agency, the now-removed tweet added: “You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone wheoever opposes your agenda [sic].”

Adidas officially ended its partnership with the 45-year-old over the rapper’s antisemitic comments. Adidas joined Balenciaga in cutting ties with West, as well as Vogue, in the aftermath of his comments. Balenciaga announced last Friday (21 October) that it “no longer has any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist”.

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There are some, though, who have stuck by him.

These are the people who have defended West over recent days.

NFL star Antonio Brown

NFL star Antonio Brown posted a statement supporting West, claiming that the antisemitic comments were taken "out of proportion" by the media.

"The people and brands that have relentlessly profited from Black ideas and Black culture chose to distance themselves at a very specific time: a time that demonstrated their prioritization of certain groups over others."

He added: "None of us in this world are free of judgment, yet we live in a time where scrutiny and pessimism have driven our dialogues on cultural issues toward diatribes [sic]."

"Sensationalism and groupthink have forced people to not speak their minds and act out in fear rather than love. For these reasons, I stand by my dedication to freedom of speech, thought, and opinion."

"I remain committed to bringing new ideas, experiences, and designs to our world I remain in support of the humanity that is Ye."

Joey Badass

While rapper Badass made clear that he doesn’t support everything West has been saying, he stated that "censoring his right to freedom of speech is WACK”.

“I don’t support everything Kanye been saying and honestly been trying my best to ignore most of it (for my own peace of mind) but censoring his right to freedom of speech is WACK. Askin him to come speak on your platform and then removing/blocking the content cuz you don’t agree? [sic],” he wrote.

Calling out media coverage of West’s actions over recent weeks, he added: "We can have healthy disagreements. And yes Kanye can do a much better job at his delivery but it’s the same old story. Magnifying a small piece of what he said and taking it out of context. The mass media needs to learn some new moves it’s corny and so obvious at this point."

Candace Owens

Controversial conservative commentator Candace Owens sparked criticism after joining West in wearing a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt at Paris Fashion Week, and now she’s defended West’s recent comments.

"If you are an honest person, you did not think this tweet was anti-Semitic,” Owens wrote in a post on the Dailywire.

“You did not think he wrote this tweet because he hates or wanted to genocide Jewish people. This not the beginning of a holocaust. That’s if you’re an honest person, you'll admit that.”

Jake Shields

Former welterweight champion and UFC star Jake Shields appeared to defend Kanye in a series of tweets, asking ‘why some whites you can criticize and other ones you can’t’.

“Kanye could say Irish people are the devil and nobody would bat an eye

“Sa Jews control the media or music industry and they will go into over drive to get you canceled

“I’m in no way antisemitic but it’s clear jews are held to a completely different standard than other whites [sic].”

He added: “I personally find all racism deplorable Just find it strange there’s only one white group your can’t criticize.”

Shields went on to say: “Amazing how many people are mad about This tweet trying to pretend it’s racism when I’m simply asking why some whites you can criticize and other ones you can’t.

“I can’t tell different whites apart so I wouldn’t be a very good racist.”

Antisemitic demonstrators

An antisemitic and white supremacist group unfurled a banner above a busy Los Angeles freeway on Saturday reading “Kanye is right about the Jews” following the rapper’s widely-condemned antisemitic remarks earlier this week.

The group responsible for the banners above Interstate 405 appeared to be the Goyim Defense League, a loose network of virulently antisemitic conspiracy theorists, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

A group also was photographed raising their arms in a Nazi salute above the banners.

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