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. "

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said that the Wireless boss's statement "will not reassure many within the Jewish or other communities".

Benn, who leads Wireless Festival's parent company Festival Republic, said he is a "deeply committed anti-fascist" and lived on a kibbutz, a community in Israel, for many months in the 1970s.

In a statement, 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.

Wireless Festival is not giving West a platform to "extol opinion of whatever nature", Benn said, only to perform songs that are currently played on radio and streaming platforms and "listened to and enjoyed by millions".

"I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do," Benn said.

He added that West has a "legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country".

In one instance, he posted an image appearing to show a symbol combining a swastika and the Star of David and saying he would go "death con 3 On Jewish people".

This January, West apologised in a full-page in the Wall Street Journal, writing: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. "

He said he regretted and was "deeply mortified" by his actions and that his bipolar disorder meant "you're manic, you don't think you're sick".

Rosenberg, president of representative body the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told the BBC: "The two key facts remain that Kanye West proclaimed himself a Nazi, and that Wireless stands to benefit financially from his performance. "

Rosenberg said the festival should withdraw its invitation for West to perform, adding: "Kanye West may well be on the path to health and healing.

We sincerely hope that he is. But the space to test this is not over three days on the Wireless main stage. "

Meanwhile, the Jewish Leadership Council said it was "deeply disappointed" by the Benn's statement "which demonstrates a clear failure to understand the issue at hand".

"While his sponsors are abandoning his festival as they rightly decide not to profit from racism, Benn has chosen to stick by an individual responsible for spreading antisemitism to his vast audience," the council said in a statement.

Following the announcement that West would be headlining Wireless Festival, brands such as Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo pulled out as sponsors of the event.

The festival, which is held in Finsbury Park and attracts up to 150,000 people each year, is scheduled to take place 10-12 July

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