Confederate Flag Tied to Door of New York Holocaust Museum

A Confederate flag was found Friday tied to front door of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, in Lower Manhattan, Museum President & CEO Jack Kliger said in a statement.

Kliger said the incident is “an atrocious attack on our community and on our institution and must be met with the swift and forceful response by law enforcement.”

The museum features items from the Holocaust – including a cattle car used to transport Jews to their deaths – and hosts events dedicated to anti-Semitism awareness.

The Confederate flag has been adopted by right-wing extremists and white supremacists, and at least one supporter of President Donald Trump who broke into the Capitol on Wednesday was carrying a Confederate flag. Several other Trump supporters at the Capitol were wearing anti-Semitic T-shirts that referenced the Holocaust; one read “Camp Auschwitz” and another had an acronym for “6 Million Weren’t Enough.”

“The Confederate flag is a potent symbol of white supremacy, as evidenced by the events at the U.S. Capitol this week,” Klinger said. “Such hate has now arrived at our doorstep, just steps away from a train car which once transported Jews to the Auschwitz death camp. These horrific acts of emboldened anti-Semitism must end now.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted Friday, “The Confederate flag is a symbol of hate. This week it was paraded through the Capitol and this morning it was used to vandalize the Museum of Jewish Heritage in our city. We have ZERO tolerance for acts of fascism and bigotry. There will be consequences for those responsible.”

The incident is being investigated by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.

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rborchardt@hamodia.com