Anti-semitic fliers posted in downtown
A few downtown business say anti-Semitic literature was dropped at their stores on Monday night, according to the Montana Human Rights Network.
“The hate literature was not only offensive in relation to the Jewish holiday, but it is concerning as there is a recorded rise and mainstreaming of anti-Semitism in the United States, including the troll storm perpetrated from outside the community onto the Jewish people of Whitefish just two and a half years ago,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas of the Montana Human Rights Network.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, began on Sunday, Sept. 29.
The Montana Human Rights Network, and its local affiliate Love Lives Here, say several times per year they get reports when fliers have been posted that promote white nationalism.
“The good news in these awful situations is that concerned people are reporting these fliers immediately, which allows us to circle around the targeted communities right away. We want to help create a rapid, peaceful response when people attempt to stir up division and animosity in Whitefish,” said Cherilyn DeVries of Love Lives Here.
The fliers dropped in Whitefish this week included well-known white nationalist phrases and personas, according to a release. These included code words like the number “88” standing for “Heil Hitler” and “14 Words” which represents a statement asserting white supremacy that was created by white nationalist David Lane. Lane, who is specifically named on the flier, died in prison while serving time for his actions with The Order, a domestic white nationalist terror group that tried to kick off a race war with a crime spree in the 1980s. The Order’s violence was partly responsible for growing attention to white nationalists by law enforcement in the 1990s.
The Montana Human Rights Network says it is once again urging the community to pay attention to the danger these movements pose to community safety.
The Montana Human Rights Network has an online form where community members can report incidents of harassment and intimidation, including anti-Semitic and racist literature drops.
The form can be accessed at: https://mhrn.org/reportingform. Local concerned persons are also encouraged to report via email to Love Lives Here at: info@loveliveshere.org.