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By Sam Kestenbaum August 17, 2017

The standards department of the Associated Press is updating their internal definition of the “alt-right” to include anti-Semitism — after an earlier version made no mention of the white nationalist movement’s particular prejudice against Jews.

“We are adding ‘anti-Semitism’ to the definition of ‘alt-right,’” the vice president of standards wrote in an update to a post about proper usage of the term.

An earlier usage guide, posted by on August 16, included no mention of anti-Semitism in an “alt-right” definition, calling it “a political grouping or tendency mixing racism, white nationalism and populism.”

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Now, an August 17 version describes “alt-right” as “a political grouping or tendency mixing racism, white nationalism, anti-Semitism and populism.”

Both versions go on to say “alt-right” is “a name currently embraced by some white supremacists and white nationalists to refer to themselves and their ideology, which emphasizes preserving and protecting the white race in the United States.”

The post (and update) come in the wake of a large white nationalist rally in Virginia which devolved into street brawls with counter protestors and resulted in the death of one woman. The “alt-right” groups’ prejudice against Jews was on full display, with some brandishing swastika flags, raising their arms in the Nazi salute or chanting “Jews will not replace us.”

Email Sam Kestenbaum at kestenbaum@forward.com and follow him on Twitter at @skestenbaum

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