By Benjamin Fearnow
Media Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Dozens of alt-right Twitter accounts began co-opting the Philadelphia Flyers mascot as an anti-Semitic figure just days after liberal protesters used images of "Gritty" to denounce a Saturday "Proud Boys" rally in Philadelphia.
Several memes and images emerged on social media over the past few days depicting the hairy orange Flyers mascot as a Nazi collaborator and espouser of anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. Gritty was superimposed into several historical pictures showing him standing alongside Gestapo officers and making disparaging comments about Holocaust survivors.
...
Read More on U.S.
On Saturday, protesters against the alt-right "Proud Boys" used Gritty posters and costumes to denounce their "We The People" rally, the Daily Beast reported. Founded by Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes, the Proud Boys tout masculinity while disparaging women, immigrants and opponents of President Donald Trump. The FBI recently classified the misogynistic and women-hating group as "extremist" with ties to white nationalism.
"Good night, Alt-Right," read one of the signs hoisted up by Philadelphia protesters against the alt-right event. "No White Supremacy In Our Gritty City!" read another poster.
But the PushBack Campaign's anti-protest against the Proud Boys sparked backlash from alt-right forces online, which immediately created their own Gritty mascot images in a hijacking attempt similar to that of "Pepe the Frog."
As Storyful's Michael Hayden first pointed out Monday, many of the tweets and Facebook posts showing Gritty tie him to anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant conspiracy theories.
"Do you know which group is funding and carrying out the importation of millions of third-worlders into Western countries?" Gritty Knows," reads the tweet highlight a Jewish Star of David symbol.
"What's the difference between a cow and the Holocaust?" a close-up image of Gritty's crazed face asks in another meme. "You stop milking the cow after 70 years!"
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines