Anti-Semitic Flyers Found in Montana

A slew of anti-Semitic flyers were found in Montana on Sept. 30, after similar flyers had been found in the state capitol earlier in the week.

According to the Montana Human Rights Network (MHRN), the flyers appeared on some local businesses in downtown Whitefish; the flyers featured the white nationalist symbols “88” – code for “Heil Hitler” – and “14 Words,” which is code for the slogan “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Additionally, some flyers featured President Donald Trump with an Israeli flag in the upper-right-hand corner.

Just in time for #RoshHoshanah #antisemitic flyers appear in #Montana for the third time featuring President #Trump with a new hair-style and an Israeli flag in the right hand corner. https://t.co/agHaOrAfNj

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 2, 2019

MHRN Co-Director Rachel Carroll Rivas said in a statement, “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.”

ADL Pacific Northwest Regional Director Miri Cypers said in a statement to the Journal, “It is extremely troubling see anti-Semitic propaganda appear in Whitefish, Montana – a community where neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin unleashed a troll army on the local Jewish community in 2016. We stand side-by-side with the Whitefish community, as we did in 2016, and will continue to do moving forward.”

Similar flyers were found on various vehicles and homes in Helena on Sept. 23 and 24; KTVQ described the flyers as referring “to Israel and to political issues in the Middle East.” Har Shalom Congregation Rabbi Laurie Franklin said in a statement, “In the week before the Jewish New Year, it is unfortunate to see an attempt to intimidate our Jewish Montanans and show bias with anonymous leaflets attacking Israel. Let’s not be fooled: this is not a dialogue about policy; these are tactics to divide us from each other and sow fear. All of us should reject this action as cowardly and destructive to community.”