Kanye West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian condemns anti-Semitic comments: “Hate speech is never OK”

Kim Kardashian has said she “[stands] together with the Jewish community”, in the wake of her ex-husband Kanye West making a series of anti-Semitic comments.

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The reality TV star and businesswoman denounced “hate speech” in a statement to her 332million Instagram followers and her 73.9million Twitter followers.

She wrote: “Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end.”

Although she didn’t mention Ye by name, it’s believed she made the remark in light of his recent comments that have been criticised as anti-Semitic.

Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) October 24, 2022

Several anti-fascist groups have have spoken out after anti-Semitic groups hung a “Kanye is right about the Jews” banner over a freeway in Los Angeles last weekend.

West has repeatedly denied that his comments are racist. While he has refused to accept that the term “anti-Semitism” exists because he claims it’s “not factual”, he has since offered something of an “apology” to those whom he’s offended with his comments.

In 2021 Kardashian filed for divorce from Ye after eight years of marriage and has since cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason.

Kardashian’s condemnation yesterday (October 24) follows companies and organisations that are reportedly continuing to cut ties with West, including his lawyer and booking agency.

As Deadline reports, talent agency Creative Arts Agency (CAA) has cut ties with the rapper. West signed with CAA for touring representation in 2016, but he has not embarked on a tour since that time.

Meanwhile, Hollywood production company and financiers MRC has revealed it will shelve a “recently completed” documentary about West. In a statement, the company’s co-leaders Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu and Scott Tenley said they “cannot support any content that amplifies his platform” due to his antisemitic comments.

Additionally, a representative for Vogue magazine has confirmed to Page Six that neither the magazine nor its editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, plan to work with West going ahead. West, who has also done extensive work as a fashion designer, has featured on several occasions in the magazine – including appearing on its front cover.

TMZ has also reported that lawyer Camille Vasquez, known for representing Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against Amber Heard, has dropped West as a client. West had only recently begun working with Vasquez, but after making further antisemitic comments over the weekend, she is said to have told her firm Brown Rudnick she would no longer work with West.

The new round of organisations cutting ties with the rapper comes after financial institution JPMorgan Chase confirmed that they had “decided to end its banking relationship with Yeezy, LLC and its affiliated entities” earlier this month.

West has made a slew of anti-Semitic comments over the past weeks. His posts directed at the Jewish community led to him being suspended from Instagram and later Twitter, where he wrote that he “[would be] going death con 3 [sic] On JEWISH PEOPLE”.

The rapper’s comments were criticised by entertainment figures including David Schwimmer, John Legend, Jack Antonoff and KISS‘ Paul Stanley. An episode of LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The Shop show that featured an interview with West was scrapped due to his recent controversies.

During a recent interview on the Drink Champs podcast, which has since been removed, Ye made further antisemitic comments, saying “the Jewish media blocked [him] out”. During a section of West’s recent interview with Fox News that was not aired but leaked online the rapper also made more inflammatory comments.

Elsewhere, in another recent interview, Ye said that he wanted to “hug every Jewish person,” and explained that he was jealous of several aspects of what he said is Jewish culture.

“I’m envious of how they don’t abort their children,” he began. “I’m envious of how they don’t shoot each other in the streets and then rap about it. I’m envious of how their families stay together. I’m envious that they turn their phones off on Friday nights and the family comes together. I’m envious of how they do business together. And I want that for the darker Jews, I want that for Black people. We need that,” he said.

Ye went on to say add that he believes he should be more conscious of the ways he expresses his opinions.

“I feel that my words demand more sensitivity for the frequency that I’m operating at and the amount of people that I’m communicating to. And I take that responsibility right now.”

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