The managing director of Wireless Festival has defended the decision to choose Kanye West as a headliner, encouraging people to offer the rapper “forgiveness”.
It follows a backlash over West’s scheduled appearance in July, which has seen sponsors pull out of the London event and criticism from politicians. The star released a song called Heil Hitler and sold swastika T-shirts last year. He later apologised and blamed his bipolar disorder.
Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, said: “Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world.”
The government is reviewing whether West should be allowed to enter the UK.
Benn said he is a “deeply committed anti-fascist” and lived on a kibbutz, for many months in the 1970s.
He said: “What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the prime minister and others that have commented and – taking him at his word – to Ye now also.”
Benn also said he has had someone in his life for the past 15 years who suffers from mental illness and has “witnessed many episodes of despicable behaviour” that he had to forgive.
“If I wasn’t before, I have become a person of forgiveness and hope in all aspects of my life, including work,” he said.
