A senior scheduling coordinator at BBC Three was fired after making antisemitic and Holocaust-denying comments on her private Facebook account, including comparing Israel's first prime minister to Adolf Hitler and calling Jews "lying scum." The posts prompted backlash and were shared with alarm in WhatsApp groups. The incident has brought attention to complaints of antisemitism at the BBC, with staff and observers criticizing the network's coverage of the war in Gaza and the work environment it has created.
Following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, disinformation and conspiracy theories have emerged, claiming that the attack was a "false flag" orchestrated by Israel to justify an invasion of Gaza. These narratives, spread through social media and online forums, have led to the denial of the well-documented attack, with some drawing parallels to Holocaust denial. The spread of misinformation has raised concerns among Jewish leaders and researchers, who see ties to antisemitism and worry about the erasure and distortion of historical events through the internet.
The Yale Daily News issued a correction removing unsubstantiated claims that Hamas raped and beheaded Israelis, despite evidence of these atrocities being widely available. The editor in chief did not respond to questions about the paper's evidence requirements or its policy on corrections. The article highlights the paper's alleged bias against Israel and its minimization of Jewish suffering, suggesting that this bias is perpetuated by Yale Daily News alumni who go on to careers in mainstream media outlets. The author, a Yale University student, criticizes the paper for becoming a platform for modern-day Holocaust denial.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that he would not dine with White nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, but avoided directly criticizing his GOP rival for doing so. DeSantis condemned Fuentes' recent statement regarding Israel's intelligence failure and expressed support for a clean aid bill for Israel. He called for unity in standing with Israel and criticized Congress for its disarray. DeSantis also called on President Biden to reverse his policies at the southern border and emphasized the need for strong national security. Regarding the House speaker position, DeSantis indicated that he would support Jim Jordan or Steve Scalise based on their ability to deliver results.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has revoked the prestigious Medal of the City of Paris awarded to Mahmoud Abbas in 2015 due to his recent comments denying the Holocaust. In an open letter, Hidalgo condemned Abbas's remarks as contrary to universal values and historical truth. While Paris remains a partner of Palestinian cities, the honorary medal and citizenship have been revoked.
Comedian Roseanne Barr sparked outrage for her satirical remarks denying the Holocaust and making controversial statements about Jews in Hollywood. Barr, who is Jewish herself, criticized the restrictions on open discourse and compared them to the dialogue surrounding President Joe Biden's election victory. She also highlighted Jewish contributions to the entertainment industry but faced backlash for her comments. The head of the Anti-Defamation League condemned her remarks, while a Jewish advocacy group claimed they were taken out of context. Barr has a history of making incendiary comments, including racist remarks, and has faced consequences in the past.
Roseanne Barr, the controversial comedian and former star of the sitcom "Roseanne," denied the Holocaust and espoused antisemitic conspiracy theories during a recent podcast interview. Barr claimed that the Holocaust never happened and suggested that 6 million Jews should die. She also stated that Jews started and control Hollywood like an "organized crime network." Barr, who is Jewish herself, has a history of fluctuating views on Jewish identity and has faced criticism for previous controversial statements. In 2018, she was fired from the reboot of her show due to racist comments.
Comedian Roseanne Barr, whose comeback show was canceled in 2018 due to racist tweets, has made alarming comments on a podcast, stating that "nobody died in the Holocaust" and suggesting that six million Jews should die. It is unclear whether she genuinely believes the Holocaust didn't happen or if she was making an abhorrent comment about online speech. Barr has previously blamed her cancellation on "intellectual witch-burning" and accused her former co-star Sara Gilbert of canceling the show. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt condemned Barr's comments, and comedian Theo Von, who interviewed her, claimed her remarks were sarcastic.
The Anti-Defamation League has added Call of Duty and Fortnite to its 2023 Holocaust Denial Report, which grades platforms based on their policies and enforcement against Holocaust denial. Call of Duty scored a D- and Fortnite scored an F, while League of Legends was the only platform to respond and take action when usernames were reported by ordinary users. The ADL urges platforms to be more proactive against Holocaust denial and to better inform users on what they are doing to curb hate.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has criticized Epic Games, Activision Blizzard/Call of Duty, and Riot Games/League of Legends for their lax stance on Holocaust denial. Epic Games received an F grade for lacking an explicit policy on Holocaust denial and failing to take action on reports made by average users. The ADL encouraged all social media and gaming platforms to explicitly ban Holocaust denial on a policy level and enforce such policies quickly, consistently, and at scale.
