[ad_1]
A Republican county party in New York on Thursday withdrew a video from its Facebook page widely condemned as anti-Semitic.
The video was posted Wednesday by the Republican Party of Rockland County and included a warning of a "takeover" by Hasidic Jews, reported NBC 4 New York.
The video included local news clips detailing community issues allegedly caused by the recent influx of Jews into the county, against the background of threatening music with images of dark storm clouds.
Messages such as "our families" and "our way of life" are at stake.
"If they win, we lose," concluded the video. "Take back control."
Several politicians in New York condemned the video on Wednesday, which led the group to withdraw the video the next day.
Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) called the video "disgusting" and "the very definition of discrimination and anti-Semitism" that helped divide the nation.
Attorney General Letitia James (D) issued a statement in which he said: "attacking those who are different from who we are only nurtures hatred and weakens us."
"We must all join together to denounce this hateful video," she added.
Although the video was eventually removed, the group posted on its Facebook page a statement from GOP President Lawrence Garvey that "anyone who dares to speak out about overdevelopment, corruption or education is immediately described as anti-Semitic, without worrying about the facts any idea of the real problems to solve. "
"Regardless of what you think of the video, there are facts that can not be ignored," wrote Garvey. "What's happening in Rockland is unacceptable."
Garvey and the video both refer to recent problems in the county regarding the application of building codes, schools and other public services, while the Orthodox Jewish population in Rockland has increased, says the local journal.
The Hill solicited comments from the Republican Party of Rockland County.
[ad_2]
Source link