If God is love, why does he permit wickedness?

He doesn't permit it.....he just allows it to go on in order to test us. To see if we are willing to seek him and try to find him at heart. Basically to see who is really purely righteous and wants to seek the kingdom of heaven, not with God's help and him doing all the work, but on your own.You have to truly want it and allowing temptations and sin run a muck on earth is a way to test you