Jacksonville Rallies Against Coordinated Anti-Semitic Campaign

FLORIDA (VINnews) – A series of anti-Semitic messages that swept through Jacksonville this weekend has prompted a strong response, with elected officials and others speaking out against hate.

Horrible to see that someone projected an anti-Semitic message on to TIAA Bank Field at the end of the sold-out Georgia-Florida game. A relative sent this to me. It’s in reference to comments Ye (formerly Kanye West) made recently.

This hate has to stop. Period. pic.twitter.com/kBKYUx7hIh

— Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) October 30, 2022

The Florida Times-Union (https://bit.ly/3NodHWL) reported that the words “Kanye is right about the jews!!!” streamed across a video board at Jacksonville’s TIAA Bank field at the end of a sold out football game between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia on Saturday night.

Social media showed other anti-Semitic messages that also appeared in Jacksonville yesterday, with signs reading “END JEWISH SUPREMACY IN AMERICA” and “HONK IF YOU KNOW IT’S THE JEWS” appearing on an I-10 overpass and another reading “KANYE IS RIGHT ABOUT JEWS” hung on an Arlington Expressway overpass.

WJXT anchor Vic Micolucci shared the messages on social media, as well as one that was reportedly projected onto the side of at least two buildings in Jacksonville on Saturday night, and also reported them to local law enforcement.

A joint statement issued by the two schools strongly denounced the messages saying, “We are proud to be home to strong and thriving Jewish communities at UGA and UF, and we stand together against hate.”

Others responding to the attacks included Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, reported News 4 Jacksonville (https://bit.ly/3TOqtAs).

“I am really distressed on all this anti-Semitic rhetoric around Florida-Georgia and I mean it’s not the Jacksonville I know and love and all of us have to work together to absolutely put an end to it,” said Khan.

Both the Republican and Democratic party county chairmen condemned the attack as did Congressman John Rutherford who issued a statement reading, “This kind of anti-Semitic hate speech being circulated online purportedly from the Florida-Georgia game is despicable and extremely disappointing. There is absolutely no room for this sort of hate in Northeast Florida. I continue to stand in support of the Jewish community in Jacksonville and across this nation.”

Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry tweeted his outrage Sunday morning, describing Jacksonville as “a city made better because of its diversity.”  But Curry’s messages came too late for some who trounced him on social media for being slow to respond to the wave of hatred.

 “The Jewish community of #Jacksonville should DEMAND a response from our mayor,” tweeted Josh Gellers. “This is getting out of hand. Kanye has done irreparable harm by committing rhetorical violence against Jews and it has created a permission structure for anti-Semitism in our city. ENOUGH.”

According to Fox 11 Los Angeles (https://bit.ly/3DICvpc), similar banners turned up last week on three banners that hung over the city’s widely traveled 405 Freeway, one of which promoted a video platform called GoyimTV, which is operated by a group known as Goyim Defense League. Photos showed several people standing on an overpass next to the banners and an American flag, their arms raised in a Heil Hitler salute.

Flyers randomly distributed in some of Los Angeles Jewish neighborhoods last weekend alleged that Jews control 90 percent of the media and that the Trump campaign’s funding came exclusively from Jews.  Ironically, the leaflets bore the words, “These flyers were distributed randomly and without malicious intent.”

Los Angeles Eric Garcetti denounced the anti-Semitic messages on Twitter saying, “L.A. is a city of belonging, not hate. We condemn this week’s anti-Semitic incidents. Jewish Angelenos should always feel safe.  There is no place for discrimination or prejudice in Los Angeles.  And we will never back down from the fight to expose and eliminate it.”