Twitter follows Instagram in restricting Ye's account after antisemitic posts
Instagram and now Twitter have both restricted the account of Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
Twitter confirmed to NPR on Monday that the company has locked the account for violating Twitter's policies. A spokesperson would not comment on how long the restrictions would be in place.
Meta, which owns Instagram, told NPR on Sunday that it removed content that violated policies. It didn't specify which posts were responsible for the restrictions.
Ye responded to the Instagram restrictions with a now deleted tweet, writing:
I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE The funny thing is I actually can't be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda
On Friday, Ye posted screenshots that appeared to be text exchanges with Diddy, in which Ye told him "Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me. I told you this was war."
The post has since been taken down from his Instagram account.
The wave of Ye news is coming off of his recent appearance at Paris Fashion Week, where he wore a shirt that said "White Lives Matter." According to the Anti-Defamation League, the phrase first appeared in 2015 as a racist response to the Black Lives Matter movement. The stunt predictably started a wave of criticism and backlash that culminated in the rapper doing a two-part interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
The broad ranging interview featured Ye talking about everything from his religion, his relationship with the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, his anti-abortion stance, and his political aspirations. In responding to why he wore the White Lives Matter shirt, Ye said, "Because they do. It's the obvious thing."
Ye has a long history of erratic behavior, goading controversy and attention. But more recently, the designer has been in the news for ending his highly publicized partnership with the clothing brand Gap. In September, Ye told The Associated Press that he sent a letter to the chain seeking to end the relationship, citing Gap's failure to meet obligations involving the distribution of his merchandise.
Ye's other highly popular and profitable fashion partnership with Adidas is also now currently "under review" following Ye's stunt at Paris Fashion Week.