Breitbart provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos resigns over underage sex comments

Milo Yiannopoulos holds a press conference in New York on February 21, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Breitbart Daily News editor and ultra-conservative writer, Milo Yiannopoulos, has resigned following the release of his remarks in favor of pedophilia.

The far-right author, who was also turned down by his publisher over the comments, said in a statement on Tuesday that he has been supported by Breitbart, formerly run by President Donald Trump’s close friend and chief strategist, Steve Bannon.

“Breitbart News has stood by me when others caved,” said the senior editor at Breitbart. “I would be wrong to allow my poor choice of words to detract from my colleagues’ important reporting, so today I am resigning from Breitbart, effective immediately.”

He further asserted that “This decision is mine alone.”

Yiannopoulos defended the unethical practice of pedophilia during a podcast interview last year.

His comments in an episode of comedian and interviewer Joe Rogan’s podcast “The Drunken Peasants” drew criticism from all sides.

Yiannopoulos to continue ‘entertainment and education’

Breitbart, meanwhile, announced Tuesday that "Milo Yiannopoulos’s bold voice has sparked much-needed debate on important cultural topics confronting universities, the LGBTQ community, the press, and the tech industry.”

"Milo notified us this morning of his decision to resign as editor of Breitbart Tech and we accepted his resignation.”

Milo Yiannopoulos arrives for a press conference in New York on February 21, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The 33-year-old Briton also appeared at a press conference in New York after his resignation statement, saying he was planning to start his own media company with focus on “entertainment and education.”

“I will be announcing a new, independently-funded media venture of my own and a live tour in the coming weeks,” he said. “I don’t intend to go head-to-head with Breitbart, but I intend to do more of the same, just not under the Breitbart banner.”

He also repeated his stance towards pedophilia and sexual abuse, also cited in his apology statement on Monday.

“I haven't ever apologized before and I don't anticipate doing it again. This is a cynical media witch-hunt that doesn’t care about children. They care about destroying me and my allies,” he said. “I would like to restate my disgust at adults who sexually abuse minors… I am horrified by pedophilia and I have devoted large portions of my career as a journalist to exposing child abusers.”

In the recently resurfaced interview, the Breitbart editor described pedophilia as a means for the youth to “discover who they are,” adding that such a relationship would "give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable rock.”