Tag: anti-semitism

Transgender shooter who murdered ex-wife and son at hockey game had Nazi tattoo

The transgender gunman who killed his ex-wife and son at a high school hockey match apparently had a Nazi-inspired tattoo on his arm. 

Robert Dorgan, 56, who also went by the name ‘Roberta Esposito,’ was seen showing off a large SS symbol on his bicep in a photo posted to his social media pages, where he would often voice his support for ‘white power.’

The symbol was frequently used in Nazi Germany propaganda and signage.

In the center of Dorgan’s tattoo was a white skull and crossbones with glowing red eyes, known as Totenkopf or the ‘death’s head’ skull, which was used as a symbol of a branch of the SS ‘whose purpose was to guard the concentration camps,’ according to the Anti-Defamation League. 

The symbol is now often used by neo-Nazis and other white supremacists ‘because of its importance to the SS.’

Dorgan also had a history of spreading antisemitic and racist rhetoric on social media, even posting an anti-Asian slur as he replied to a video praising Adolf Hitler just one day before he opened fire at the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

That same day, Dorgan also threatened to go ‘BESERK.’

His son, Aidan Dorgan, 23, was killed alongside his mother Rhonda, 52, and three other family members were left critically injured in the rampage on Monday, which came to an end when the gunman took his own life.

The tragedy occurred just feet from where Rhonda’s youngest son Colin Dorgan, 17, was competing on the ice.

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Dem Governor’s Attempt to Frame JD Vance’s Holocaust Remembrance Day Post as Anti-Semitic Backfires

Hypocrites rarely acknowledge, let alone repent of, their own hypocrisy.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania undoubtedly will prove no different.

According to NBC News, Shapiro said in an interview Tuesday that Vice President J.D. Vance deserves criticism for failing to use the specific words “Jews” and “Nazis” in a Holocaust Remembrance Day post on the social media platform X, prompting X users, including a member of President Donald Trump’s communications team, to remind Shapiro that his own words on the occasion hardly differed from the vice president’s.

“Part of never forgetting is making sure that the facts of what happened are recited, are remembered,” the governor said. “The fact that JD Vance couldn’t bring himself to [acknowledge] that 6 million Jews were killed by Hitler and by the Nazis speaks volumes.”

As it happens, only Shapiro’s hypocritical silliness “speaks volumes.”

“Today we remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust, the millions of stories of individual bravery and heroism, and one of the enduring lessons of one of the darkest chapters in human history: that while humans create beautiful things and are full of compassion, we’re also capable of unspeakable brutality. And we promise never again to go down the darkest path,” Vance wrote Tuesday on X.

But the vice president failed to mention Nazis by name? Four pictures of Vance and his wife, Usha, at what remains of Nazi Germany’s Dachau concentration camp accompanied the post. If Shapiro and his ilk wish to interpret that as obscuring the Nazis’ responsibility for the Holocaust, more power to them.

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Trump to antisemites: You’re not welcome in MAGA

President Trump had a resounding no for any antisemites claiming to be part of the Republican Party or his MAGA movement.

“I think we don’t need them,” he told The New York Times in an interview. “I think we don’t like them.”

His comments, made in a Wednesday interview but published on Sunday, came after a series of high profile ultra-conservative figures have made controversial comments about the Jewish people and antisemitic speech has split Republicans.

Trump said: “I condemn” antisemitism.

He said he’s an ally of Israel and was awarded its Israel Prize, considered the country’s highest honor.

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Reginald D Hunter has summons for ‘antisemitic’ social media posts quashed as judge rules private prosecution was a bid to get comedian ‘cancelled’

A court summons issued against comedian Reginald D Hunter has been quashed by a court after a judge ruled it was an ‘abusive’ bid to get the comedian ‘cancelled’.

The American comic, who lives in the UK, was the subject of a private prosecution by Jewish group the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA).

It had alleged that he had sent offensive communications to antisemitism campaigner Heidi Bachram three times in 2024, on August 24, September 10 and September 11 on the social platform X, formerly Twitter.

But a summons issued to Mr Hunter, 56, by the CAA was quashed at Westminster Magistrates’ Court by Judge Michael Snow following an application by the defence.

Judge Snow ruled that the CAA had been motivated by a desire to ‘have [Hunter] cancelled’ and that the prosecution was ‘abusive’, adding that the group was seeking to use the criminal justice system for ‘improper reasons’.

He criticised the Jewish organisation for a ‘wholly inadequate’ summary of Ms Bachram’s tweeting in its summary of its application when it came to disclosing her social media posts towards him.

This, he said, ‘misled’ him into believing that the comedian’s tweets were targeting her faith rather than responding to attempts to have him ‘cancelled’.

The private prosecution against Mr Hunter – known for his appearances on panel shows as well as a career of live stand-up – was brought without the involvement of the police or the Crown Prosecution Service.

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Nine US attorneys resign over Trump administration’s ‘fraudulent’ anti-Semitism probe

Nine US attorneys resigned after being pressured by the administration of President Donald Trump to conclude that campuses had violated the civil rights of Jewish students and staff, according to a Los Angeles Times investigation exposing what has been described as a politically driven and legally baseless campaign targeting pro-Palestinian activism at the University of California (UC).

In interviews with The Times, nine former Department of Justice (DoJ) attorneys said they were instructed to prepare lawsuits against UC campuses even before investigations had begun, a practice one attorney described as a “fraudulent and sham investigation.”

“Initially we were told we only had 30 days to come up with a reason to be ready to sue UC,” said Ejaz Baluch, a former senior trial attorney tasked with probing alleged anti-Semitism at UCLA. “It shows just how unserious this exercise was. It was not about trying to find out what really happened.”

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Three men arrested in hate-motivated attacks targeting Jews, accused of planning ISIS-linked terror attack

Three Canadian men accused of planning an ISIS terror attack have been arrested in connection to hate attacks targeting Jewish women.

The Toronto Police Service (TPS) have arrested Waleed Khan, 26, Osman Azizov, 18, and Fahad Sadaat, 19, on suspicion of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping with firearms, sexual assault, and other offences informed, in part, by hate-motivated extremism.

The arrests followed two attempted abductions, prompting a broader probe that uncovered a parallel terrorism investigation into Khan. 

He has since been charged with seven terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and funneling cryptocurrency to ISIS.

Police alleged Khan worked with an individual named Allah Kareem and received instructions from a group to carry out attacks. 

A search of his home by the RCMP uncovered evidence of national security threats, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said Friday.

In total, the trio faces 79 charges under Project Neapolitan, a major crimes investigation.

On May 31, a woman walking in Toronto was approached by three me, one armed with a handgun, another with a knife, who tried to force her into a vehicle. They fled when she screamed and a motorist intervened.

On June 24 in Mississauga, three men in an Audi SUV armed with a handgun, rifle, and knife chased two women before being stopped by a passerby.

Video footage captured the vehicle fleeing from the scene.

All three women were sexually assaulted, according to court filings.

Chief Myron Demkiw, Toronto Police Service said in a statement: ‘This investigation demonstrates the impact of strong collaboration in protecting our communities. Working with Peel Regional Police, the RCMP, and our law-enforcement and intelligence partners, we have arrested three individuals for offences targeting women and members of the Jewish community. 

‘The gravity of these alleged offences demanded a strong, united response – and that is exactly what this partnership delivered. I want to thank our members and all of our partners for their tireless efforts and their shared commitment to public safety.’

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Antisemitic Social Media Posts Force Mamdani Appointee to Resign

Zohran Mamdani hasn’t even taken office, yet his administration is already showing signs of trouble.

On Thursday, disturbing antisemitic comments shared online by Mamdani appointee Catherine Almonte Da Costa, set to step into the role of Director of Appointments, resurfaced, causing a firestorm.

The vile rants included comments about “money-hungry Jews” and saying the Far Rockaway train “is the Jew train.”

The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey shared Da Costa’s posts and demanded answers from the Mamdani administration.

The group said on X, “Mayor-Elect Mamdani has announced Catherine (Cat) Almonte Da Costa as his Director of Appointments, tasked with ‘bring[ing] top talent into this administration.’”

“Her social media footprint includes posts from more than a decade ago that echo classic antisemitic tropes and otherwise demean Jewish people. Tweeting about ‘Money hungry Jews’ is indefensible.”

“We appreciate Da Costa has relationships with members of the Jewish community, but her posts require immediate explanation — not just from Ms. Da Costa, but also from the Mayor-Elect.”

“Vetting the appointment of city leaders will be Ms. Da Costa’s responsibility and the Jewish community deserves to know:

1) Were these comments previously identified by the Mayor-elect’s team? If so, why were they excused?

2) What will be the policy of the new Administration if comments like these are discovered during the vetting process?”

The organization shared screenshots of Da Costa’s tweets, which remained up until Thursday, when it appears she deleted her account.

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Oxford University student, 20, is charged with stirring up racial hatred after allegedly promoting an antisemitic chant at pro-Palestine demonstration

An Oxford University student caught on camera allegedly making antisemitic chants at a pro-Palestine demonstration has been charged with a public order offence.

The Metropolitan Police said Samuel Williams, 20, was charged with stirring up racial hatred at a Palestine Coalition demo in Whitehall, central London, on Saturday, October 11.

He was charged today and will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the new year.

Williams was identified by the Daily Mail after footage emerged of a man allegedly chanting an antisemitic chant at the pro-Palestine protest.

Williams was arrested at a property in Oxfordshire on suspicion of inciting racial hatred following an investigation launched by Scotland Yard detectives.

The philosophy, politics and economics student at Balliol College was also suspended by Oxford University.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said there had been an ‘unacceptable increase in anti-Semitism’ at universities and added that many Jewish students did not feel safe on campus.

She called on universities to strengthen protections for Jewish students and said the Government was funding training to help staff and students ‘tackle this poison of antisemitism’.

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California man who went by ‘Billy Badass’ busted for synagogue bomb threats, feds say

A California man who went by “Billy Badass” on social media allegedly threatened to bomb every synagogue within a 20-mile radius — then doubled down with more antisemitic rants even after cops threw him in a psychiatric hold.

Elijah Alexander King, 36, of San Luis Obispo, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges stemming from his August rampage of hate that has him staring down a decade behind bars.

King used his “Billy Badass” X account to spew the hate messages on Aug. 28. “I’m gonna blow up every synagogue in a 20-mile radius,” King threatened according to federal prosecutors.

“This is a real threat send the police and report me for terrorism,” said a second messaged ten minutes later. King then searched for synagogues nearby on his cellphone, prosecutors said.

Police found King and had him check into a psychiatric hospital for monitoring where he continued to spew hate from the “Billy Badass” handle, states. 

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An Unexpected Con To End Free Speech

Rooting out terrorism and antisemitism was the supposed reason that plainclothed ICE agents arrested doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk on a street in Somerville, Massachusetts, after she coauthored an op-ed calling on Tufts University to divest from companies with ties to Israel due to the killing and starvation of Palestinian civilians. There is an international movement to boycott, sanction, and divest from Israel, but in the United States, President Donald Trump is imperiling the freedom even to publicly discuss such ideas, which should, in effect, be considered a test case for his larger attack on free speech. So far, the test is going well for Trump.

In what seems a long time ago, in 2024, the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, released a blueprint for what it called “a national strategy to combat antisemitism” by addressing what it described as “America’s virulently anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and anti-American ‘pro-Palestinian movement.’” In essence, and in what’s amounted to an extraordinarily effective work of political theater that has been sold to my own state, Massachusetts, among other places, that foundation dubbed its political opponents “supporters of terrorism.” It also labeled organizations working in opposition to its agenda a “terrorist support network,” and claimed for itself the noble mantle of “combating antisemitism” — even as it deftly redefined antisemitism from hatred of Jewish people to criticism of the U.S.-Israel alliance. President Trump has put the Heritage Foundation strategy into action and gone even further.

It may be his most original idea. As political scientist Barnett Rubin put it in September, “President Trump always says he’s very creative and accomplishes things no one has ever done before. And now he is building a fascist regime which is legitimized by the fight against antisemitism. Nobody ever thought of doing that before.”

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