Wiley hit with Facebook and Instagram ban after backlash over anti-Semitic posts
The grime artist has been banned from the social media platforms after an account purportedly belonging to him took aim at some of his Jewish critics
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Wiley has been slapped with a ban from Facebook and Instagram following backlash over anti-Semitic posts from his social media accounts.
Facebook bosses have banned the grime artist from its platforms after an account which purportedly belonged to him took aim at some of his Jewish critics.
Wiley was widely condemned for posting a series of anti-Semitic messages on Twitter and Instagram.
Social networks have faced criticism for not acting sooner to take down the content, with Downing Street saying their response “has not been good enough”.
An unverified account under his real name, Richard Kylea Cowie, named Jewish celebrities, including Lord Sugar, BBC presenter Emma Barnett and comedian David Baddiel, who all spoke out against his words.
“Emma Barnett get me on your show,” one post read.
“David Baddiel come and talk to me to my face..Let’s talk,” said another.
A message reportedly mentioning Golders Green, an area of London known for its large Jewish community, was removed before Facebook decided to pull the account altogether.
His official verified account was also taken down, as well as his Instagram profile.
“There is no place for hate speech on Facebook and Instagram, and we don’t want it on our platforms,” Facebook said.
“After initially placing Wiley’s accounts in a seven-day block, we have now removed both his Facebook and Instagram accounts for repeated violations of our policies.”
The move follows pressure from the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
“We are aware that Richard Cowie – AKA Wiley – has continued his obsessive targeting of the Jewish community on Facebook, now that Twitter and Instagram are closed off to him,” Marie van der Zyl, Board of Deputies president, said.
“We have raised his conduct with Facebook as a matter of urgency and have stressed in the strongest possible terms that they should remove him from their platform as well.
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