Neo-Nazis And ‘Alt-Right’ Celebrate Body Slam Of Jewish Reporter

Andrew Anglin

By Sam Kestenbaum May 26, 2017

One day after being charged with assault for allegedly body-slamming a reporter in his campaign office, Republican Greg Gianforte defeated his Democratic to win the special election for the U.S. House seat in Montana.

Neo-Nazis and some members of the “alt-right” celebrated the body slamming of the reporter, Ben Jacobs, who happens to be Jewish.

“It should not be against the law to body slam obnoxious Jews,” wrote Andrew Anglin, the publisher of the Daily Stormer website. “In fact, the state should encourage body slamming annoying Jews as a general practice!”

Anglin runs what the Southern Poverty Law Center calls the country’s top hate site. He is known for orchestrating online trolling campaigns against people he views as his enemies (often Jews) and over-the-top writing tone. “The Jew media has been using this story to try and sabotage Gianforte’s chances in the election,” Anglin wrote.

In less prominent message boards, anonymous users also celebrated the body slamming — seeing somewhow as both a thrilling rebuke of mainstream media and a welcome attack on Jews.

“One day our patience will come to an end and then we will grab these insolent Jews by their throats and stuff their lying mouths shut!” one commenter wrote on 4chan, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Should’ve stomped the Jewlet,” another added.

Email Sam Kestenbaum at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

Sam Kestenbaum is a contributing editor and former staff writer for the Forward. Before this, he worked for The New York Times and newsrooms in Sana, Ramallah and Beijing. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum and on Instagram at @skestenbaum.

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