A group of “cowardly masked extremists” held an anti-Semitic banner on a Massachusetts highway overpass on 9/11, blaming the terrorist attacks on the Jewish people.
The Anti-Defamation League on Monday called out this “scapegoating” of the Jewish community, condemning the “harmful anti-Semitic trope.”
On Sunday, the group with the banner was spotted above Route 1 in Saugus. The banner read, “Jews did 9/11.”
ADL New England reported that other highway overpasses in the Bay State on 9/11 were also covered with anti-Semitic banners.
“On September 11, a day when we remember a great tragedy experienced by our country and the loss of too many, a number of highway overpasses in our Commonwealth were tarnished with anti-Semitic banners, held by cowardly masked extremists, blaming these terrorist attacks on Jews,” said Robert Trestan, ADL New England’s regional director.
“The scapegoating of the Jewish community is an age-old but exceedingly harmful anti-Semitic trope that must be called out and condemned whenever and wherever it occurs,” he added. “Using this tragedy to spread false, destructive and divisive narratives harms our communities and sense of security and disgraces the memory of the victims from that day.”
The 9/11 terrorist attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda, an Islamist extremist group. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes, killing almost 3,000 people.
Auditor candidate Anthony Amore tweeted about the anti-Semitic banner over Route 1.
“These conveniently masked cowards were seen yesterday on Route 1 in Saugus,” wrote Amore, a Republican. “Anti-Semitism seemingly has no end in our society. We shouldn’t tolerate this and I hope you’ll join me in condemning this repugnant bigotry.”
StopAntisemitism, a watchdog organization that exposes anti-Semitic groups and individuals, tweeted, “Antisemites live and breathe for September 11th. Why? So they can spew their vile Jew hatred, incorrectly blaming the 9/11 attacks on who else but the Jews.”
The organization posted the banner from Saugus, along with an anti-Semitic banner from Houston, Texas.
