After Criticism, NBC New York Deletes Tweet That Appeared to Blame Victims of Recent Antisemitic Attacks
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by Benjamin Kerstein
People gather at Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg’s residence in Monsey, New York, Dec. 29, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Jeenah Moon.
NBC New York was criticized on Thursday for a tweet on the recent wave of antisemitic violence in the US that many saw as racist and blaming the victims of the attacks.
“With the expansion of Orthodox communities outside NYC has come civic sparring, and some fear the recent violence may be an outgrowth of that conflict,” the tweet in question read, over an article headlined, “Anti-Semitism Grows in Jewish Communities in NYC Suburbs.”
The progressive Zionist group Zioness tweeted in response that the tweet was “[s]hameful and egregious victim blaming.”
The Republican Jewish Coalition asked rhetorically, “Is @NBCNewYork really blaming the Orthodox community for the attacks on the Orthodox community?”
New York Times staff editor and author Bari Weiss tweeted, “Imagine blaming cross burnings on the expansion of black communities.”
Batya Ungar-Sargon, The Forward’s opinion editor, simply replied to NBC New York, “Delete your account.”
Ron Kampeas of the Jewish Telegraph Agency defended the article itself while criticizing the original tweet.
“This tweet and headline is [sic] really bad,” he said. “The story is good and emphasizes intolerance and hatred as spurring the violence. Maybe @NBCNewYork can re-hed and rt.”
The tweet was later removed by NBC New York.
“We are deleting an earlier tweet regarding a story on the recent anti-Semitic attacks in the tri-state area,” it said. “A new tweet follows; we regret the error.”
We are deleting an earlier tweet regarding a story on the recent anti-Semitic attacks in the tri-state area. A new tweet follows; we regret the error.
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) January 2, 2020
Anti-Semitism grows in Jewish communities in #NYC suburbshttps://t.co/BnVbXBVZQd
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) January 2, 2020
