Of all the recent names popularized by the Trump campaign, Steve Bannon is easily the most controversial. An outspoken executive at Breitbart, a publication that often publishes fake stories to win the appeal of racist voters, Steve Bannon has become the most infamous figure on Trump’s campaign.
Considering his association with racist rhetoric, it’s no surprise that Bannon’s first speaking opportunity was met with scores of protesters.
Among these protesters were various Jewish human rights groups, including Jewish Voices for Peace, If Not Now, and others.
Armed with Chants and Hashtags
With chants like, “Never Again Begins Now”, and signs proclaiming that “People Power Trumps Hate”, protesters from various groups marched on the streets of NYC to protest Bannon.
Twitter hashtags played a major role in the protest. Activists shared powerful video and images from the scene using hashtags like #FireBannon and #JewishResistance.
JVP on the streets of NY to #StopBannon @naomi_dann @ariwohlfeiler @alanakrivokaufm @RVilkomerson https://t.co/m5nN9kTkOq pic.twitter.com/2FSrFjwHOq
— JewishVoiceForPeace (@jvplive) November 21, 2016
Uniting to Stop Steve Bannon
The irony of a bigot like Steve Bannon having his time in the spotlight is that it’s actually bringing different groups together.
At the protest of Bannon in New York, it wasn’t just Jewish protesters marching. Muslim human rights groups marched alongside them, forming a peaceful alliance against hate.
Not Every Jewish Group Hates Bannon
While Bannon has made a lot of enemies with his viewpoints that many consider racist, he does have supporters in unlikely places.
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) had planned to host Bannon at a dinner, but after the protests, he chose not to attend. The group has been willing to overlook the white nationalist tendencies attributed to Bannon, primarily due to his pro-Israel viewpoints which are shared by the ZOA.
Although the ZOA is a group that shows unbending support in defending Bannon, the majority of Jewish groups, including If Not Now, continue to protest Bannon and stand up for racial equality.
Featured Image via screenshot from Twitter video
