Manhattan, NY – Among the hodgepodge of signs that have sprouted in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan, one man in jeans and a baseball cap has been carrying placards that shout their suggestions: “Google: Jewish Billionaires” and “Google: Zionists control Wall St.”
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But the protests have also, on occasion, had a distinctly Jewish flavor: The encampment has coincided with the busy Jewish holiday season and has witnessed, in its midst or on its edges, a crowded Kol Nidre service on Yom Kippur, festive dancing with a scroll on Simchat Torah on Thursday night, and the sukkah.
The protesters, clustered together in a kind of ad hoc Athenian democracy in the canyons of Lower Manhattan, firmly deny that their demonstrations against corporate greed and the political power of banks exhibit antagonism that singles out Jews.
“You’re going to get a few wackos,” said Aaron Moses Miller, 25, a slender, unemployed man from Ridgewood, Queens, who had been in the park for 16 days. “You can’t help it in a population of this size.”
Mr. Miller, who is Jewish, said that he had not seen the man holding the anti-Semitic signs, but said: “If I had seen him, I would have said something to him. My name is Aaron Moses Miller.”
Jeff Smith, 41, part of the press team for Occupy Wall Street, assailed those who he said ascribed the views of one sign-holder to the entire movement.
“To put someone out there to say, ‘This is who the group is,’ is about as dishonest as you can be,” Mr. Smith, who is also Jewish, said. “It’s yellow journalism.”
The anti-semitic posters show up at any demonstration and there is little that the mainstream demonstrators can do to evict them from the park. Most of these demonstrators are left of center politically but don’t share these anti-jewish or anti-israel sentiments. Most are simply angry about not finding jobs, losing their homes, etc. and have no coherent political message. The anti-semites are drawn like a flame to ANY protest where they get attention.
“You’re going to get a few wackos”
Methinks that there are more than just a few! Just look at some of the aerial photos and do a count estimate!
So why didn’t the protesting Jews tear up the anti-Semitic signs.
Disgusting! If I was down there protesting I would have been FURIOUS at his sign & knowing me… probably would have confronted him! Head-covering & Star of David pendant around my neck! And I’m a gentile! (LOL)
I cannot STAND anti-semitism, or bigotry, or racism of any kind. This guy needs to get a life! People are down there fighting for their livliehoods! For their working-class dignity for crying out loud! Most of them have made it through school & just want a decent chance at the American Dream, which has slowly been blown apart for the past several decades. Only the richest top 2% have prospered- even DURING the financial crisis! While the rest of us have suffered.
THAT IS THE MESSAGE of Occupy Wall Street!
This guy w\the sign is a lone nut who does NOT represent the whole, thank G-d!
When it came to the “Tea Party” rallies the libs made up the stories are racism despite NOT A SINGLE PICTURE OR VIDEO AS PROOF. Here there is plenty of proof and the obamamania liberal media is telling us it didnt happen.
DOWN WITH LIBERALISM!