Kanye West news – Biden says ‘silence is complicity’ as Elon Musk suspends rapper for posting swastika

President Joe Biden and prominent US officials have condemned recent remarks from the rapper formerly known as Kanye West after his latest antisemitic tirade, Holocaust denialism and praise for Adolf Hitler and Nazis.

“Instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides,” the president shared on the office’s Twitter account. “Silence is complicity.”

Elon Musk suspended the rapper from the platform after Ye shared an image of a swastika within the Star of David. He shared the offensive image on Thursday night just hours after he professed “I like Hitler” and “I am a Nazi” while joining far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on on his InfoWars programme.

“I tried my best,” Mr Musk said. “Despite that, he again violated our rule against incitement to violence. Account will be suspended.”

He also wrote “FAFO” – short for “F*** Around and Find Out.”

Key Points

• ‘I like Hitler’: Kanye West praises Nazi during Alex Jones interview

• Kanye West suspended from Twitter after posting swastika inside Star of David

• Hate speech is rising on Elon Musk’s Twitter, report finds

• Joe Biden says ‘silence’ against antisemitism 'is complicity’

• Who is Nick Fuentes?

Kanye West says ‘I like Hitler’ on Infowars

Thursday 1 December 2022 18:35 , Graeme Massie

Rapper responded to host Alex Jones saying he did not like Adolf Hitler or Nazis during Thursday’s interview.

American writer Touré brands Kanye West ‘disgusting’ over comments

Thursday 1 December 2022 18:40 , Graeme Massie

“This isn’t about mental illness. Stop defending Kanye or having sympathy for him because he’s bipolar or something. HIs virulent and repeated antisemitism isn’t tied to that. This is who he is. And it’s disgusting,” the cultural critic tweeted.

Comedian Jon Stewart reacts to Kanye West’s Hitler comments

Thursday 1 December 2022 18:55 , Graeme Massie

“Oy,” the former host of The Daily Show, who is Jewish, tweeted on Thursday following West’s interview with Alex Jones.

‘When are we going to say ENOUGH?’: Lawmaker slams Kanye West’s comments

Thursday 1 December 2022 20:15 , Josh Marcus

Lawmakers are condemning Kanye West’s continued antisemitic tear, including the rapper’s most recent offence, praising Hitler on Infowars.

“When are we going to say ENOUGH?” tweeted Congressman Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New York, wrote on Thursday.

House Judiciary Committee Republicans delete “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” tweet after West’s praise of Hitler

Thursday 1 December 2022 21:20 , Josh Marcus

The Twitter account for the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee deleted a tweet that said “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” after rapper Kanye West praised Adolf Hitler.

The Judiciary Republicans tweeted the first names of Mr West, Tesla executive Elon Musk and former president Donald Trump on 6 October of this year. But that was before Mr West began tweeting antisemitic remarks, including saying he wanted to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.”

But Matt Gertz of Media Matters tweeted on Thursday that the tweet was taken down amid Mr West, who now goes by the name Ye, appearing on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s show and praising the late Nazi leader.

“You’re not Hitler, you’re not a Nazi, so you don’t deserve to be demonised,” Mr Jones said. In response, Mr West praised Mr Hitler. Throughout the interview, Mr West wore a face-covering.

Eric Garcia has more.

House Judiciary Committee Republicans deletes “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” tweet

Podcaster who interviewed Ye says Hitler praise ‘breaks my heart’

Thursday 1 December 2022 21:58 , Josh Marcus

Lex Fridman, a research scientist who sat down with Kanye West recently for a lengthy interview amid the rapper’s continued antisemitism scandals, says Ye has finally gone too far.

“Ye praising Hitler breaks my heart,” Mr Fridman wrote on Twitter on Thursday, after West celebrated the genocidal German leader in a Thursday appearance on Infowars.

Kanye West no longer buying conservative social media app Parler

Thursday 1 December 2022 22:45 , Graeme Massie

“In response to numerous media inquiries, Parlement Technologies would like to confirm that the company has mutually agreed with Ye to terminate the intent of sale of Parler. This decision was made in the interest of both parties in mid-November,” the company said on Twitter.

Pence says Trump was ‘wrong’ and showed ‘profoundly poor judgement’ by dining with Kanye West and Nick Fuentes

Thursday 1 December 2022 22:58 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump was “wrong” and showed “profoundly poor judgement” for meeting last week at Mar-a-Lago with outspoken antisemites like rapper and fashion designer Kanye West and right-wing media figure Nick Fuentes, according to former vice-president Mike Pence.

“President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an antisemite, and a Holocaust denier a seat at the table,” Mr Pence said in an interview on NewsNation on Monday.

“I think he should apologise for it, and I think he should denounce those individuals and their hateful rhetoric without qualification.”

Mr Trump’s former No 2 defended the ex-president from accusations of antisemitism, pointing out how Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner.

Read our full story.

Pence says Trump showed ‘profoundly poor judgement’ by hosting Kanye and Nick Fuentes

Kanye West is not buying social media platform Parler after all

Thursday 1 December 2022 23:15 , Graeme Massie

Parler announced a deal in October that would ‘change the world’. After Ye’s antisemitic rant praising Nazis, the platform announced the agreement was mutually terminated.

Alex Woodward has the story.

Kanye West is not buying social media platform Parler after all

‘I like Hitler’: Kanye West praises Nazi during Alex Jones interview

Friday 2 December 2022 00:02 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Kanye West admitted “I like Hitler” as the disgraced rapper and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes were interviewed by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on Infowars.

Kanye West admits he ‘likes’ Hitler during shocking Alex Jones interview

Kanye West slams Elon Musk and gives Nick Fuentes and Alex Jones power to run his Twitter in antisemitic rant

Friday 2 December 2022 01:05 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The rapper formerly known as Kanye West said on Thursday he plans to give Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and right-wing conspiracy monger Alex Jones the keys to his Twitter account, in protest against Elon Musk’s stance that he won’t let Jones back on the platform after a 2018 ban.

Josh Marcus has the story.

Kanye West slams Elon Musk and says Alex Jones will run Twitter account in rant

ICYMI: Kanye West admits he ‘likes’ Hitler in shocking new interview

Friday 2 December 2022 02:01 , Graeme Massie

House Judiciary Committee Republicans delete “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” tweet after West’s praise of Hitler

Friday 2 December 2022 03:09 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: The Twitter account for the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee deleted a tweet that said “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” after rapper Kanye West praised Adolf Hitler.

The Judiciary Republicans tweeted the first names of Mr West, Tesla executive Elon Musk and former president Donald Trump on 6 October of this year. But that was before Mr West began tweeting antisemitic remarks, including saying he wanted to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.”

Eric Garcia has the story.

House Judiciary Committee Republicans deletes “Kanye. Elon. Trump.” tweet

Josh Gad leads condemnation of Kanye West after rapper says he ‘likes Hitler’

Friday 2 December 2022 04:04 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Kanye West praised Adolf Hitler during an appearance on Alex Jones’s far-right conspiracy theorist network Infowars.

West has been embroiled in controversy over antisemitic comments he’s made in recent months, leading brands like Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga to cut ties with the rapper.

Appearing on Jones’s show on Thursday (1 December), the host attempted to defend the musician, saying: “You’re not Hitler, you’re not a Nazi, so you don’t deserve to be demonised.”

Instead of agreeing, West pushed back, saying: “Well, I see good things about Hitler also.”

Tom Murray has the full story.

Josh Gad leads condemnation of Kanye West after rapper says he ‘likes Hitler’

Right-wingers appear to take over Kanye West’s Twitter account

Friday 2 December 2022 05:10 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: It appears, as Ye has suggested, that right-wing figures like Nick Fuentes are now using his Twitter account to reach its more than 32 million followers.

“Christ is King — America First, GROYPER! - NJF” read one tweet, a seeming reference to Fuentes, a Holocaust denier, and his reactionary “groyper” followers.

Here’s our full story on the rapper’s escalating right-wing behaviour.

Kanye West slams Elon Musk and says Alex Jones will run Twitter account in rant

Kanye West rails against January 6 ‘political prisoners'

Friday 2 December 2022 06:01 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Kanye West appears to be throwing his support behind the right-wing demonstrators who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

In a Thursday tweet, Mr West railed against what he called the “civil rights and due process violations” against the “J6 political prisoners.”

“Why were the only people killed unarmed protestors that day?” he added.

The tweet echos far-right talking points around January 6, which have sought to cast the insurrection as an innocent demonstration, rather than an armed attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results, where protestors carried zip ties, chanted “Hang Mike Pence,” and injured countless police officers.

Widow of DC police officer who killed himself after 6 January riot says his death should be considered in the line of duty

Trump defended rioters chanting ‘Hang Mike Pence’, witness tells Jan 6 committee

Republican Jewish group condemns latest ‘vile' Kanye West antisemitism

Friday 2 December 2022 07:04 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Kanye West may be moving increasingly to the right, but his recent virulently antisemitic remarls are winning him few friends with Jewish Republicans.

“We vehemently condemn those comments and calll on all political leaders to reject these messengers of hate and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong,” The Republican Jewish Coalition said on Thursday in a statement, following the rapper’s interview with Alex Jones, where he praised Hitler.

“Given his parise of Hitler, it can’t be overstated that Kanye West is a vile, repellent bigot who has targeted the Jewish community with threats and Nazi-style defamation,” the RJC continued. “Conservatives who have mistakenly indulged Kanye West must make it clear that he is a pariah. Enough is enough.”

Kanye West suspended from Twitter after posting swastika inside Star of David

Friday 2 December 2022 08:17 , Johanna Chisholm

Kanye West’s Twitter account has been suspended after he violated the platform’s policy against inciting violence by posting a design of a swastika inside the Star of David.

Twitter boss and tech-billionaire Elon Musk confirmed the suspension on Thursday (1 December), tweeting that he had “tried his best” to persuade the rapper not to share such posts.

On Thursday night, West shared the image of the Nazi symbol over the Star of David, a symbol of Judaism.

He then shared an image of Musk half-naked on a yacht. “Let’s always remember this as my final tweet,” West wrote.

“That is fine,” Musk replied on the image of himself topless. “This is not,” he wrote on the since-deleted swastika tweet.

Ellie Harrison has more details here.

Elon Musk suspends Kanye West from Twitter after swastika post

Kanye deletes Fuentes tweets after controversial Mar-a-Lago dinner

Friday 2 December 2022 08:29 , Graeme Massie

ICYMI: Antisemitic rapper Kanye West has apparently scrubbed his Twitter account of any mention of his latest cohort, which includes white supremacist vlogger Nick Fuentes and right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

West has been the centre of controversy for more than a month after he began publicly spouting antisemitic messages and hanging around with far-right media figures. Last month, West attended a dinner with Donald Trump where he told the former president that he intended to run for the Oval Office in 2024.

The rapper also brought Mr Fuentes along with him. In past videos, Fuentes has called on Mr Trump — should he win in 2024 —to halt elections and rule the US as a dictator.

In a now-deleted video he posted after the meeting, West claimed Mr Trump was impressed with Mr Fuentes, who has previously denied the Holocaust occurred.

Graig Graziosi has the story.

Kanye deletes Fuentes tweets after controversial Mar-a-Lago dinner

Elon Musk makes light of Kanye West’s ‘unflattering’ photo of him

Friday 2 December 2022 09:23 , Rachel Sharp

Elon Musk has made light of Kanye West posting an “unflattering” photo of him, claiming that he found it “helpful motivation to lose weight”.

The new Twitter boss suspended the antisemitic rapper from the social media platform after he posted an image of a swastika inside the Star of David.

After posting the offensive image, West, also known as Ye, then also shared a photo of Musk topless on a yacht.

West’s account was suspended over the Nazi symbol for violating Twitter’s policy against inciting violence.

After lamenting that he “tried my best” with West, Musk added in a follow-up tweet that the suspension was not related to the half-naked photo of him.

“Just clarifying that his account is being suspended for incitement to violence, not an unflattering pic of me being hosed by Ari,” he tweeted, before jokingly adding: “Frankly, I found those pics to be helpful motivation to lose weight!”

Musk’s message to Kanye: “FAFO"

Friday 2 December 2022 09:45 , Rachel Sharp

Elon Musk had the last word against Kanye West after he suspended the antisemitic rapper from Twitter for posting a Nazi symbol inside the Star of David.

West shared the offensive image on Twitter – just hours after he professed “I like Hitler” while joining far-right conspiracy theorist and Sandy Hook denier Alex Jones on his radio show.

He then posted a photo of a topless Musk on a yacht.

The rapper’s account was suspended over the Nazi symbol for violating Twitter’s policy against inciting violence.

Behind the scenes, the two men appeared to get into a spat over the incident, with West sharing screenshots of messages he had apparently received from Musk through Donald Trump’s social media platform Truth Social.

“Sorry, but you have gone too far. This is not love,” Musk said.

“Who made you the judge,” West fired back, before sharing a screenshot that his account was suspended.

Musk then told his Twitter followers that he had “tried my best” with the antisemitic rapper but that his account had to go because he “violated our rule against incitement to violence”.

He then made light of the “unflattering” topless photo of himself, claiming that he found it “helpful motivation to lose weight”.

Then, in a final follow-up tweet, he made a final dig against West, simply writing: “FAFO”

The term means: “F*** Around and Find Out.”

Trump silent after dinner guest Kanye West says ‘I like Hitler’ on Alex Jones’ show

Friday 2 December 2022 10:05 , Rachel Sharp

ICYMI: Just over a week after he hosted disgraced rapper turned antisemite Kanye West and a pair of racist, internet trolls for dinner at his Palm Beach, Florida country club, former president Donald Trump remained largely silent in the hours after the rapper told conspiracy theorist Alex Jones that he is a fan of the late genocidal Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

Mr West made the shocking disclosure during an appearance on Jones’ Infowars program alongside Nick Fuentes, the avowed white nationalist who was one of a trio of guests who accompanied him to dinner with Mr Trump last week.

After the conspiracy theorist said the onetime Grammy winner was “not a Nazi” and did not deserve to be “demonized,” Mr West interjected. He told Mr Jones that he sees “good things about Hitler,” the dictator who kicked off the Second World War by invading Poland and masterminded the murder of 10,000,000 people — including 6,000,000 Jews from Germany and across Europe — in the mass genocide now known as the Holocaust.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington.

Trump silent after dinner guest Kanye West says ‘I like Hitler’ on Alex Jones’ show

In other news, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West officially finalise their divorce

Friday 2 December 2022 10:25 , Rachel Sharp

Kim Kardashian and her ex-husband, Kanye West, have finalised their divorce.

The couple split at the beginning of 2021, ending their eight-year marriage.

West, now known as Ye, will pay $200,000 (£167,000) in child support to the reality TV star.

Though the two were declared legally single at Kardashian’s request in March, issues of property and custody remained.

Ye and Kardashian will have “equal access” to their children North, 9, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 3 according to the documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Get the full story via Independent TV.

William and Kate meet young fan dressed as Royal Guard

Elon Musk has the last word against Kanye West: ‘FAFO’

Friday 2 December 2022 10:45 , Rachel Sharp

Elon Musk has had the last word against Kanye West after he suspended the antisemitic rapper from Twitter for posting a Nazi symbol inside the Star of David.

The tech billionaire, who had welcomed the disgraced star back to the platform only weeks earlier, posted the not-so-subtle tweet “FAFO” late on Thursday night.

The acronym stands for “F*** Around and Find Out” – sending a clear message to West that he had gone too far and was no longer welcome on Twitter.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Elon Musk’s final word to Kanye West after suspending him from Twitter

Edward Snowden claims Kanye ‘not gunna be president’ after antisemitic remarks

Friday 2 December 2022 11:05 , Rachel Sharp

ICYMI: Famed leaker and dissident Edward Snowden is the latest person to weigh in on Kanye West’s continued antisemitic rantings.

Snowden, no stranger to angering the US political system—though for very different reasons that West of course—took to Twitter on Thursday to argue that the rapper’s recent behaviour means he won’t get elected in 2024.

“Turns out Kanye is not gonna be president,” Snowden wrote.

Here’s our reporting on West’s 2024 ambitions.

Kanye West says he asked Donald Trump to be his 2024 presidential running mate

Is Kanye West’s 2024 presidential bid really that far-fetched?

Kanye West condemned by Simon Wiesenthal Center

Friday 2 December 2022 11:25 , Rachel Sharp

ICYMI: Founder and CEO of the SWC Rabbi Marvin Hier and the Associate Dean and Global Social Action Director of the SWC Rabbi Abraham Cooper condemned the rapper in a statement on Thursday.

“History teaches us that words and ideas can have profound consequences. Kanye West’s serial anti-Semitism is now accompanied with the deconstruction of evil. Louis Farrakhan, America’s godfather of hate called Hitler ‘a great man.’ Following in his footsteps, Kanye West—influencer of millions—now touts Hitler as ‘bringing something of value to the table.’ Yes Kanye, what Hitler brought to the table was genocide, racism, and a world war that killed tens of millions and almost destroyed our civilization. Before he had the power to act, back in 1919, Hitler already outlined his vision of ‘the final removal of Jews.’”

What has Kanye West done now? Hitler remarks, Elon Musk feud and falling net worth

Friday 2 December 2022 11:51 , Rachel Sharp

Kanye West is experiencing yet another backlash after making a series of antisemitic remarks during interviews and on social media.

The rapper, who has been involved in various controversies over the years, appeared on right-wing commentator Alex Jones’ show Infowars on Thursday (1 December).

During his interview, West made the shocking declaration that he “likes Hitler”, sparking a fresh wave of condemnation from celebrities and former fans.

Previously, West had been dropped by both Adidas and Balenciaga over “hateful and dangerous” comments relating to Jewish people.

Here’s a timeline of Kanye West’s controversies:

A timeline of all Kanye West’s latest controversies

Kim Kardashian silent on ex-husband’s latest antisemitic tirade

Friday 2 December 2022 12:16 , Rachel Sharp

Kim Kardashian has so far stayed silent on her ex-husband Kanye West’s latest antisemitic tirade.

On Thursday, West appeared on far-right conspiracy theorist and Sandy Hook denier Alex Jones’ radio show where he professed “I like Hitler”.

Hours later, he then posted a Nazi symbol inside the Star of David on Twitter – prompting his suspension from the platform.

Kardashian is yet to address her former husband’s shocking antics and was spotted stepping out in Miami with her sister Khloe Kardashian during Art Basel on Thursday night.

West’s latest in a growing list of shocking actions comes days after the former couple’s divorce settlement was finalised, ordering West to pay Kardashian $200,000 in monthly child support.

Trump fires off series of Truth Social posts – but ignores Kanye scandal

Friday 2 December 2022 12:35 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump fired off a series of Truth Social posts on Thursday night – but continued to ignore the escalating scandal surrounding Kanye West.

Last week, Mr Trump hosted the antisemitic rapper and white nationalist Nick Fuentes for dinner at Mar-a-Lago.

The meeting led to widespread condemnation of the former president including from several top Republicans who called on Mr Trump to condemn Mr Fuentes and his white supremacist beliefs.

Following West’s latest round of antisemitism, Mr Trump has failed to comment.

He posted several articles and rants on his Truth Social platform on Thursday night – none of them addressing the controversy.

In one post, he attacked an Associated Press reporter for revealing that his aides are pushing to reinstate practices meant to keep him from meeting with embarrassing guests at his club or elsewhere.

He suggested that the story was “fake news” because of the “very strong security” at his club, but said he was “not going to have [his] guests stripped searched,” especially when he knows someone as he did Mr West.

Over the next few hours, he posted a series of links to articles including one taking aim at Senator Mitch McConnell titled: “Ditch Mitch?”

Another post included a link to a blog with the title: “Donald Trump 2022: Forged in a crucible of hot white fire.”

What does FAFO mean?

Friday 2 December 2022 12:55 , Rachel Sharp

Elon Musk appeared to tell Kanye West to “FAFO” in a single word tweet on Thursday night.

The Twitter boss suspended the antisemitic rapper from the platform for posting a Nazi symbol inside the Star of David.

After confirming West’s account had been suspended for violating Twitter’s policy against inciting violence, Musk posted the not-so-subtle tweet “FAFO”.

The acronym stands for “F*** Around and Find Out”.

Zack Fox fans resurface comedian’s 2018 tweet about Kanye

Friday 2 December 2022 13:15 , Rachel Sharp

A 2018 tweet from comedian Zack Fox has been making the rounds after Kanye West claimed he “likes Hitler”.

West’s comments have been widely denounced on social media, with figures such as Frozen star Josh Gad speaking out against the message.

Among the reaction, a screenshot of an old tweet from comedian Zack Fox has been recirculated on the platform.

In a tweet posted originally in September 2018, Fox said: “Highly recommend getting off the Kanye train before it inevitably reaches the ‘Hitler was a good guy’ stop.”

Fellow comedian Felonious Munk reposted Fox’s tweet on Thursday and added the caption: “My son told y’all.”

Kanye West suspended from Twitter over swastika

Friday 2 December 2022 13:35 , Rachel Sharp

Kanye West’s Twitter account has been suspended after he violated the platform’s policy against inciting violence by posting a design of a swastika inside the Star of David.

Twitter boss and tech-billionaire Elon Musk confirmed the suspension on Thursday (1 December), tweeting that he had “tried his best” to persuade the rapper not to share such posts.

On Thursday night, West shared the image of the Nazi symbol over the Star of David, a symbol of Judaism.

The Independent’s Ellie Harrison has the full story:

Elon Musk suspends Kanye West from Twitter after swastika post

Piers Morgan says Kanye West is ‘revelling in causing maximum offence'

Friday 2 December 2022 13:55 , Rachel Sharp

Piers Morgan has said that, when he recently spoke to Kanye West, it was clear to him that the disgraced rapper was “revelling in causing maximum offence”.

“I had a lengthy text exchange with Kanye ‘Ye’ West the other day which indicated he’s now revelling in causing maximum offence,” he tweeted on Friday morning.

“He wasn’t just racist, and anti-Semitic, but horribly homophobic too - and his latest pro-Hitler rant is sadly more evidence he’s lost the plot.”

Inside the long-term bromance between Kanye West and Elon Musk

Friday 2 December 2022 14:15 , Rachel Sharp

One is an anti-Semitic superstar rapper running for president. The other is the richest man in the world who spends his days posting memes to the social media platform he purchased on a whim. And both have been friends for more than a decade.

Elon Musk and Kanye West don’t appear to have much in common at first glance, but the pair have a years-long relationship that may explain why the former is still backing the latter despite the rapper’s numerous anti-Semitic comments.

Mr Musk and Mr West first met in 2011, when the SpaceX owner gave the rapper a private tour of the company’s rocket factory.

“Kanye stopped by the SpaceX rocket factory today,” Musk tweeted at the time.

In 2020, Mr Musk recalled their friendship fondly, responding to a photo of the men together at the factory by calling it a “hell of a decade.”

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi delves into the bromance:

Elon Musk and Kanye West’s decade long bromance explained

Breaking: Alex Jones declared bankruptcy

Friday 2 December 2022 14:42 , Alex Woodward

Alex Jones has filed for personal bankruptcy weeks after the conspiracy theorist and the company behind his InfoWars platform were ordered to pay roughly $1.5bn in damages for defaming the families of victims from the Sandy Hook school shooting massacre.

He filed for bankruptcy on 2 December in Texas where his InfoWars site already is under chapter 11 bankruptcy protections.

Alex Jones files for bankruptcy after $1.5 billion dollar Sandy Hook lawsuit

Kanye West is not buying social media platform Parler after all

Friday 2 December 2022 15:00 , Alex Woodward

Despite an October statement hailing a world-changing deal to purchase the right-wing social media app, Parler will not be selling the platform to Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.

The company announced that they reached a mutual termination agreement on 1 December, hours after the rapper and virulent antisemite praised Adolf Hitler and his love for Nazis on an InfoWars broadcast with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

They announced that the decision was made in mid-November.

Kanye West is not buying social media platform Parler after all

Chief of Holocaust Educational Trust condemns West’s comments

Friday 2 December 2022 15:30 , Alex Woodward

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, has issued a statement condemning West’s remarks on yesterday’s InfoWars broadcast:

Nick Fuentes claims Marjorie Taylor Greene texted Milo Yiannopoulos to connect with Kanye West

Friday 2 December 2022 16:02 , Alex Woodward

White nationalist Nick Fuentes, who is joining Kanye West’s apparent presidential campaign, has accused far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of seeking an audience with the antisemitic rapper. In a broadcast, Fuentes – who joined West during his appearance on InfoWars – lambasted the congresswoman, a far-right flamethrower in Congress who was voted out of her committees for her own offensive behaviour.

QAnon, white nationalists and soaring hate speech: Expects reveal how the floodgates have opened on Elon Musk’s Twitter

Friday 2 December 2022 16:20 , Alex Woodward

Extremism researchers and experts who have closely studied the spread of online hate and mis- and disinformation have warned that Elon Musk’s acquisition and the mass return of previously banned users could rapidly deteriorate the platform.

Under the disingenuous banner of “free speech”, Twitter could become one of the most toxic spaces on the internet for marginalised groups, they tell The Independent’s Alex Woodward:

QAnon, racism and ‘informational anarchy’: Experts on how Elon Musk changed Twitter

Joe Biden: ‘Silence is complicity'

Friday 2 December 2022 16:42 , Alex Woodward

President Joe Biden appeared to condemn Ye and others who have given him a platform for his virulent antisemitism.

“I just want to make a few things clear: The Holocaust happened. Hitler was a demonic figure. And instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides,” he shared in a Twitter post from the office’s official account on Friday.

“Silence is complicity,” he added.

Hate speech is rising on Elon Musk’s Twitter, report finds

Friday 2 December 2022 17:25 , Alex Woodward

Racist and antisemitic slurs, anti-gay comments and gender-based attacks have spiked on Twitter, according to new reporting from the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

In the first full week under his ownership, there were more than 26,000 posts mentioning the n-word – triple the average in 2022, according to the report. There were also more 50,000 posts mentioning transphobic and homophobic slurs, up by 53 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, than 2022 averages.

Within his first two weeks at the helm, from 31 October to 13 November, there were more than 204,000 tweets and retweets using the gender-based slur “c**t” – up 30 per cent from the 2022 average – and more than 831,000 posts mentioning “sl*t,” up 75 per cent from the 2022 average. Posts mentioning “wh*re” were also up by 60 per cent.

The platform also saw significant spikes in antisemitic slurs and racist abuse towards Hispanic and Latino people, the report found.

More from The Independent:

QAnon, racism and ‘informational anarchy’: Experts on how Elon Musk changed Twitter

‘The terrifying undercurrent of Kanye West’s latest antisemitic rant'

Friday 2 December 2022 17:50 , Alex Woodward

“It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the Christian message Kanye West is spreading isn’t one of love, but of Christo-fascist dominance and control,” Noah Berlatsky writes for The Independent’s Voices.

The terrifying undercurrent of Kanye West’s latest antisemitic rant

Who is Nick Fuentes? The white supremacist, friend of Kanye West and dinner guest Trump claims he never heard of

Friday 2 December 2022 18:20 , Alex Woodward

24-year Nick Fuentes – an antisemitic white supremacist, Holocaust denier and former cheerleader for Donald Trump who rallied for the ex-president’s stolen election lies – has drawn mainstream attention after appearing at Mar-a-Lago with Kanye West last month.

If the former president really never heard of the man with dark brown hair who showed at up his door for dinner, then he really should have, The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe writes:

Who’s Nick Fuentes - the notorious white supremacist Trump says he’s never heard of?

Twitter account for neo-Nazi publisher reinstated

Friday 2 December 2022 18:52 , Alex Woodward

The Twitter account for prominent neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin, founder of the notorious website The Daily Stormer, has been reinstated. He was removed from the platform in 2013.

His return to Twitter comes just days after a judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest, after he was accused of ignoring a $14m judgment against him for an antisemitic harassment campaign against a Montana family.

Bernie Sanders condemns ‘abhorrent and disgusting’ comments

Friday 2 December 2022 19:15 , Alex Woodward

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said Kanye West’s praise for Hitler and Nazis “is abhorrent and disgusting.”

“Whether it is anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, sexism or homophobia there are always those who want to divide us up,” he shared on Twitter. “Our job is to unite people around a progressive agenda that improves life for all.”

Trump remains silent after dinner guest Kanye West says ‘I like Hitler’

Friday 2 December 2022 19:53 , Alex Woodward

Just over a week after he hosted Kanye West and a pair of racist internet trolls for dinner at his Palm Beach, Florida country club, former president Donald Trump has not commented on his celebrity dinner guest’s praise for Hitler.

He has shared a flurry of posts on his Truth Social account, largely targeting his Democratic political opponents, but he has not mentioned West.

Trump silent after dinner guest Kanye West says ‘I like Hitler’ on Alex Jones’ show

ICYMI: Ye paid a settlement to former employee who accused rapper of praising Hitler and Nazis

Friday 2 December 2022 20:15 , Alex Woodward

The rapper formerly known as Kanye West paid a settlement to a former employee who accused him of using antisemtic language in the workplace, including praising Hitler and Nazism, according to documents reviewed by NBC News.

In the settlement, Ye paid a former employee who allegedly witnessed several incidents, which Ye has denied.

The former employee spoke on the condition of anonymity after signing a nondisclosure agreement.

News of the settlement came roughly one month before Ye’s antisemitic tirade on Alex Jones’s InfoWars broadcast, during which he said “I like Hitler” and denied that the Holocaust happened.

Reddit’s Kanye West board is turning into a page for Holocaust awareness and Taylor Swift

Friday 2 December 2022 20:30 , Alex Woodward

The subreddit dedicated to the rapper formerly known as Kanye West has transformed into a tribute to Taylor Swift and as a page to raise awareness of the Holocaust.

Top current posts on the page discuss the Auschwitz concentration and death camps; Krystyna Chiger, who hid in the sewers of Lviv to avoid Nazi capture; or are just images of Taylor Swift.

“This is officially a holocaust awareness sub,” one post reads, accompanying charts from a study about public awareness of Nazi-led genocide.

ICYM: Alex Jones files for bankruptcy

Friday 2 December 2022 21:17 , Alex Woodward

Alex Jones has filed for personal bankruptcy protections on Friday, weeks after the conspiracy theorist and the company behind his InfoWars platform were ordered to pay roughly $1.5bn in damages for defaming the families of victims from the Sandy Hook school shooting massacre.

Alex Jones files for bankruptcy after $1.5 billion dollar Sandy Hook lawsuit

Republican Jewish Coalition says GOP must ‘make it clear’ that Kanye West is a ‘pariah'

Friday 2 December 2022 21:30 , Alex Woodward

The chair and CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which recently hosted top Republicans including Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis at a major conference in Las Vegas last month, have condemned yesterday’s InfoWars show as a “horrific cesspool of dangerous, bigoted Jew hatred.

National Chairman (and former US Senator) Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks said the broadcast with Alex Jones, Nick Fuentes and Kanye West reflected “a disgusting triumvirate of conspiracy theorists, Holocaust deniers, and antisemites.”

“We vehemently condemn those comments and call on all political leaders to reject these messengers of hate and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong,” they said in a staement on Thursday.

“Given his praise of Hitler, it can’t be overstated that Kanye West is a vile, repellent bigot who has targeted the Jewish community with threats and Nazi-style defamation,” they added.”

“Conservatives who have mistakenly indulged Kanye West must make it clear that he is a pariah. Enough is enough.”

Kamala Harris: ‘Praising Hitler and denying the Holocaust is vile'

Friday 2 December 2022 22:10 , Alex Woodward

Vice President Kamala Harris has also weighed in to condemn Kanye West’s remarks, writing that “praising Hitler and denying the Holocaust is vile, appalling, and must be condemned.”

“Our Administration will continue to stand up against antisemitism and the epidemic of hate,” she added.

Earlier on Friday, President Joe Biden said officials who remain silent in the face of virulent antisemitism are complicit in its platforming.

“Instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides. Silence is complicity,” he wrote.

ICYMI: Kanye West is not buying social media platform Parler after all

Friday 2 December 2022 23:00 , Alex Woodward

Despite an October statement hailing a world-changing deal to purchase the right-wing social media app, Parler will not be selling the platform to Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.

The company announced that they reached a mutual termination agreement on 1 December, hours after the rapper and virulent antisemite praised Adolf Hitler and his love for Nazis on an InfoWars broadcast with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

They announced that the decision was made in mid-November.

Kanye West is not buying social media platform Parler after all

Nancy Pelosi: ‘Being a celebrity isn’t a license to spew hatred'

00:00 , Alex Woodward

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has urged “every” political leader to condemn antisemitism after the rapper formerly known as Kanye West – who recently dined with Donald Trump and intends to run for president in 2024 – praised Hitler and Nazism.

“It’s staggering that it needs repeating: Hitler and his Nazi regime are the embodiment of evil,” the congresswoman said. “Being a celebrity isn’t a license to spew hatred. Every leader must condemn despicable antisemitic rhetoric & always speak out against antisemitism, no matter whatever form it takes.”

Doug Emoff describes ‘pain’ of antisemitism and urges Americans to 'condemn these vile acts’

01:00 , Alex Woodward

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, said he is “in pain” after Kanye West’s antisemitic remarks praising Nazism and amplification of Holocaust denialism.

“I’m in pain right now. Perpetuating lies, such as the denial of the Holocaust, and praising fascist murderers, is dangerous and fans the flames of antisemitism and hate,” wrote Mr Emhoff, who is Jewish.

“We all have an obligation to condemn these vile acts. We must not stay silent,” he added.

Holocaust Museum and Auschwitz Memorial provide resources for learning about Holocaust denial and antisemitic violence

02:00 , Alex Woodward

Following Kanye West’s antisemitic outbursts, the US Holocaust Museum and Auschwitz Memorial have shared a wealth of resources and stories on social media about the rise of Nazism, victims of Hitler’s genocidal violence and how the party’s emblem emerged and remained an icon of hateful propaganda.

During his appearance on Alex Jones’s InfoWars broadcast on Thursday, West denied the Holocaust happened, falsely claimed that it is “factually incorrect" that 6 million Jewish people were murdered, and said “I like Hitler” and “I am a Nazi”.

Jewish Dems condemn Kanye West’s antisemitism and Trump’s ‘enabling’ of rapper

03:00 , Alex Woodward

The Jewish Democratic Council of America has warned that the rapper formerly known as Kanye West’s antisemitism is “dangerous [and] must be condemned by all.”

“So should Trump’s decision to repeatedly defend him,” the group said in a statement. “Those who refuse to explicitly acknowledge Trump’s role in fueling the fire of hate make it harder to fight antisemitism [and] extremism.”

The former president has largely remained silent on hosting West at his Mar-a-Lago club with prominent white nationalist and antisemite Nick Fuentes.

Karine Jean-Pierre: ‘The grotesque poison of antisemitism is not hiding'

05:00 , Alex Woodward

After President Joe Biden suggested that officials who are silent against Kanye West’s praise for Hitler and Nazism are complicit in his antisemitism, White House press secretary did not say which officials he was directly mentioning, but she pointed to the president’s repeated insistence to publicly condemn such hate.

“Like you’ve also heard him say, the common theme of all forms of bigotry is that hate doesn’t go away, it only hides,” she told reporters on Friday. “The grotesque poison of antisemitism is not hiding.” She added that it doesn’t necessarily matters “who in particular” he was addressing.

“I think what the president is trying to say is being silent is complicit. And when we see this type of hatred, when we see this type of antisemitism, we need to call it out,” she said.

‘The terrifying undercurrent of Kanye West’s latest antisemitic rant’

07:00 , Alex Woodward

“It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the Christian message Kanye West is spreading isn’t one of love, but of Christo-fascist dominance and control,” Noah Berlatsky writes for The Independent’s Voices.

The terrifying undercurrent of Kanye West’s latest antisemitic rant

Republican Jewish Coalition says GOP must ‘make it clear’ that Kanye West is a ‘pariah’

08:00 , Alex Woodward

The chair and CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which recently hosted top Republicans including Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis at a major conference in Las Vegas, have condemned Thursday’s InfoWars show as a “horrific cesspool of dangerous, bigoted Jew hatred”.

National Chairman (and former US Senator) Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks said the broadcast with Alex Jones, Nick Fuentes and Kanye West reflected “a disgusting triumvirate of conspiracy theorists, Holocaust deniers, and antisemites.”

“We vehemently condemn those comments and call on all political leaders to reject these messengers of hate and relegate them to the dustbin of history where they belong,” they said in a staement on Thursday.

“Given his praise of Hitler, it can’t be overstated that Kanye West is a vile, repellent bigot who has targeted the Jewish community with threats and Nazi-style defamation,” they added.”

“Conservatives who have mistakenly indulged Kanye West must make it clear that he is a pariah. Enough is enough.”

Twitter account for neo-Nazi publisher reinstated

09:00 , Alex Woodward

The Twitter account for prominent neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin, founder of the notorious website The Daily Stormer, has been reinstated. He was removed from the platform in 2013.

His return to Twitter comes just days after a judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest, after he was accused of ignoring a $14m judgment against him for an antisemitic harassment campaign against a Montana family.

Who is Nick Fuentes?

10:00 , Alex Woodward

By now, at least, Trump must surely know who Nick Fuentes is, and the outsized influence he has on the far-right, large numbers of whom have turned out to support Trump in both his efforts to become president and to hang on to power after having lost to Joe Biden.

The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe writes:

Who’s Nick Fuentes - the notorious white supremacist Trump says he’s never heard of?

'Inside the long-term bromance between Kanye West and Elon Musk’

11:00 , Alex Woodward

One is an antisemitic superstar rapper running for president. The other is the richest man in the world who spends his days posting memes to a social media platform he now owns.

Elon Musk and Kanye West don’t appear to have much in common at first glance, but they have a years-long relationship that came under intense scrutiny this fall when the tech tycoon continued backing the rapper despite countless antisemitic comments.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi writes:

How Elon Musk and Kanye West’s decade-long bromance came crashing down

Hate speech is rising on Elon Musk’s Twitter, report finds

12:00 , Alex Woodward

Racist and antisemitic slurs, anti-gay comments and gender-based attacks have spiked on Twitter, according to new reporting from the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

In the first full week under his ownership, there were more than 26,000 posts mentioning the n-word – triple the average in 2022, according to the report. There were also more 50,000 posts mentioning transphobic and homophobic slurs, up by 53 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, than 2022 averages.

Within his first two weeks at the helm, from 31 October to 13 November, there were more than 204,000 tweets and retweets using the gender-based slur “c**t” – up 30 per cent from the 2022 average – and more than 831,000 posts mentioning “sl*t,” up 75 per cent from the 2022 average. Posts mentioning “wh*re” were also up by 60 per cent.

The platform also saw significant spikes in antisemitic slurs and racist abuse towards Hispanic and Latino people, the report found.

More from The Independent:

QAnon, racism and ‘informational anarchy’: Experts on how Elon Musk changed Twitter

ICYMI: Reddit’s Kanye West board is turning into a page for Holocaust awareness and Taylor Swift

13:00 , Alex Woodward

The subreddit dedicated to the rapper formerly known as Kanye West has transformed into a tribute to Taylor Swift and as a page to raise awareness of the Holocaust.

Top current posts on the page include discussions of Auschwitz concentration and death camps; Krystyna Chiger, who hid in the sewers of Lviv to avoid Nazi capture; or images of Taylor Swift.

“This is officially a holocaust awareness sub,” one post reads, accompanying charts from a study about public awareness of Nazi-led genocide.