Wiley stripped of Honours following CAA action
The Honours Forfeiture Committee has announced today that it is stripping the antisemitic grime rapper Richard Kylea Cowie, known as Wiley, of his MBE, following calls to do so by Campaign Against Antisemitism.
In July 2020, Wiley went on an antisemitic tirade on social media, in which he compared Jews to the Ku Klux Klan; called on “black people” to go to “war” with Jews; and claimed that Jews had him and were “snakes”.
Consequently, Wiley was banned from X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube after using the platforms to incite racial hatred against Jews, following tireless pressure from Campaign Against Antisemitism, which included projecting antisemitic tweets on X’s London headquarters and joining a 48-hour walkout on the platform.
Despite our efforts, Wiley evaded immediate legal consequences by being out of the UK. Nonetheless, CAA initiated legal proceedings, filing a criminal complaint with the Public Prosecution Service in the Netherlands, where Wiley was residing.
Campaign Against Antisemitism also wrote to the Ivors Academy calling for Wiley’s 2019 Ivors Inspiration Award to be rescinded.
Campaign Against Antisemitism’s advocacy extended to venues scheduled to host Wiley, leading to multiple cancellations of his performances, including Village Underground, which swiftly dropped him from their event.
Following sustained pressure, the Honours Forfeiture Committee, acting on Campaign Against Antisemitism’s recommendation, commenced an investigation into Wiley’s conduct, with a view to stripping Wiley of his honour, which he received in 2018. The case was opened following his antisemitic tirade in 2020.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Today’s decision marks the culmination of nearly four years of dogged perseverance. We have worked tirelessly to ensure that Wiley faces ruinous consequences for his unhinged antisemitic tirade, for which he has shown no remorse.
“Antisemitism has no place in the arts, and is unbecoming of anyone holding an honour. We commend the Honours Forfeiture Committee for using its powers to hold Wiley to account. In doing so, it is declaring that anti-Jewish racists cannot be role models in our society.
“Due to technical reasons, including legal action that we are pursuing against Wiley, the forfeiture was delayed. We are grateful to the Honours Forfeiture Committee for its work on this matter.”
