PROTESTS AND POLICE TACTICS
2020 has sent shockwaves throughout the world. First, the coronavirus pandemic was used as a catalyst by antisemites and conspiracy theorists across the political spectrum to blame Jews and Israel. Now, the shocking killing of George Floyd is the latest tragedy to be appropriated by the far-right and anti-Israel activists against Jews.
THE FAR-RIGHT CLAIM JEWS ARE ORCHESTRATING THE PROTESTS
Far-right extremists have rekindled an old conspiracy theory that Jews are the organizing masterminds behind the world’s institutions and the world’s problems. Their current claim is that the protests and riots are designed to benefit Jews, against whites. As Lee Rogers, writer for the Daily Stormer stated, “What a shocker. Jews are using the George Floyd murder to attack White people...”The far-right proclaim that the agitators are funded by Jewish money. Neo-Nazi, Kyle Hunt stated that ”They []ews] Are Starting a Race War So People Don’t Rally Against ZOG [Zionist Occupation Government].”
ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVISTS CLAIM THAT ISRAEL IS ENGINEERING U.S. POLICE BRUTALITY
Anti-Israel activists have claimed that Israel and American Jewish organizations are responsible for police brutality resulting in the deaths of black people, such as George Floyd. They state that U.S. police forces are trained by Israel to deliberately use brutal methods of policing. They further claim that this training is organized and sponsored by the American Jewish community.This false and dangerous accusation was initiated by fringe organization, Jewish Voice Peace (JVP), in 2017, with the launch of their “Deadly Exchange” smear campaign. The campaign claimed that Israeli training programs include, “extrajudicial executions, shoot-to-kill, police murders, racial profiling, massive spying and surveillance, deportation and detention.”
As part of their campaign, JVP even released a video accusing [00:04:04] mainstream Jewish organizations of complicity in police violence against Black and Brown communities.
JVP’s lie has now spread and become a popular conspiracy theory among anti-Israel activists.
For example, Abbas Hamideh of Al-Awda tweeted: “This is where the Minneapolis Police Department learned their police brutality tactics from. israeli occupation terrorist soldiers (on the left) murder Palestinians on a daily basis. We must stop training our American police officers to be gestapo units. #GeorgeFloyd #Palestine.
And Dunia Ghanimah, president of a Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter, tweeted: “after all, the U.S. police departments are sent to Israel, or sometimes Israeli forces come to the United States, to train on joint tactics to brutalize innocent Black/Palestinian lives.”
So there you have it, according to anti-Semites, Jews are to blame for both rioting and looting and also the police tactics to quell the rioting and looting.
The far-right and the anti-Israel activists have more in common then they would have you believe.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS...
The individuals and organizations quoted below have a history of anti-Semitism. While they come from different extremes of the political spectrum, they share a common strategy of exploiting tragedy to attack Jews and the State of Israel.THE FAR-RIGHT
Lee Rogers
“What a shocker. Jews are using the George Floyd murder to attack White people...This is why I hate you kikes...Just f**k off to Israel and enjoy your Jewish supremacist state. You can take your beloved colored pets with you too.”
“No Susan, the riots are funded by wealthy Jews like George Soros and are being carried out by anti-fascist terrorist groups who are agitating blacks to go ape.”
”They []ews] Are Starting a Race War So People Don’t Rally Against ZOG [Zionist Occupation Government].”
“I'm not mad about it [looting], because I understand what blacks are about. It would be like getting mad at the wind for blowing. I'm mad at the jews and their white butt goys organizing society around deliberately not understanding it and making ordinary white people pay for it.”
“ (((Them))) will play both sides here trying to get blacks and whites to go at each other.”
Note: The use of triple parentheses, known as “echoes,” has been adopted by antisemites, such as neo-Nazis and white nationalists, to stigmatize and target individuals of Jewish background for online harassment.
ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVISTS
Jewish Voice for Peace
“At Jewish Voice for Peace, and in our coalitions focused on ending the Deadly Exchange...We are closer than ever before to a true sea-change in this country, and all of us have a responsibility to stay focused on the fight to #DefundThePolice.”
“US and Israeli police are sharing violent and repressive tactics. These police exchange programs have been devastating for both communities of color in the United States and for Palestinians. End the #DeadlyExchange”
U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR)
“The Israeli military trains US police in racist and repressive policing tactics, which systematically targets black and brown bodies.”
“This is where the Minneapolis Police Department learned their police brutality tactics from. israeli occupation terrorist soldiers (on the left) murder Palestinians on a daily basis. We must stop training our American police officers to be gestapo units. #GeorgeFloyd #Palestine.
“After all, the U.S. police departments are sent to Israel, or sometimes Israeli forces come to the United States, to train on joint tactics to brutalize innocent Black/Palestinian lives.”