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Antisemitism Watch - September 2, 2026, 09 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: with troubling images from Orlando, Florida, where Nazi flags and
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  Speaker 1: salutes were displayed by audience members at a kickboxing match
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  Speaker 1: held at the city-owned Kia Center. The Orlando city government
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  Speaker 1: issued a statement unequivocally condemning the displays, but noted its
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  Speaker 1: limitations under the First Amendment in prohibiting such actions. The
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  Speaker 1: event featured fighter Paul Miller, also known as Gypsy Crusader,
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: a far-right influencer with a documented history of antisemitic and
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: white supremacist remarks, according to reporting. In national politics, Vice
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  Speaker 1: President J.D. Vance is facing increasing pressure to publicly disavow
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  Speaker 1: former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his anti-Israel comments
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  Speaker 1: and alleged antisemitism. Vance addressed these divisions in a closed-door
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  Speaker 1: speech to the Republican-Jewish coalition, denouncing antisemitism and reaffirming U.S.
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  Speaker 1: support for Israel. However, he stopped short of breaking with Carlson,
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  Speaker 1: though he did disavow activist Nick Fuentes. Critics, including Republican
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  Speaker 1: Representative Don Bacon and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, have
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  Speaker 1: urged Vance to take a clearer stance, with some warning
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  Speaker 1: that his association with Carlson could alienate Jewish voters. Vance's
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  Speaker 1: position contrasts with that of Senator Ted Cruz, who has
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  Speaker 1: previously criticized Carlson's rhetoric. This situation was also highlighted in
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  Speaker 1: Vance's remarks to Jewish Republicans in Las Vegas, where he
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  Speaker 1: warned of growing suspicion of Israel among younger Americans. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: a significant controversy surrounds Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo. With over
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  Speaker 1: 170 Jewish artists, writers, and cultural figures defending him against
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  Speaker 1: accusations of antisemitism, the defense comes after Ruffalo criticized Paramount
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  Speaker 1: and the Ellison family's business interests. linked to Oracle's work
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  Speaker 1: with the Israeli military. Ruffalo had previously described Israel's campaign
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  Speaker 1: in Gaza as genocide and its policies as apartheid. Paramount
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  Speaker 1: responded by accusing Ruffalo of using anti-Semitic tropes in a
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  Speaker 1: corporate dispute. The letter defending Ruffalo characterized the merger as
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  Speaker 1: tech-driven domination and argued that criticism of Israel's actions and
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  Speaker 1: its allies is a legitimate subject, not inherently anti-Semitic. This
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  Speaker 1: rise in complex accusations and defenses is part of a
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  Speaker 1: broader trend. We're seeing the emergence of what's being called
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  Speaker 1: gain-of-function antisemitism, a metaphor for how existing prejudices are amplified
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  Speaker 1: and spread through new channels like AI bots and inflammatory rhetoric.
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  Speaker 1: As described in recent analysis, this process repackages old grievances,
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  Speaker 1: adding sensational accusations and repeating them relentlessly to a wider audience.
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  Speaker 1: normalizing once-fringe ideas. This often involves portraying Israel as the
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  Speaker 1: hyperbolic embodiment of evil, leading to collective blame for Jews
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  Speaker 1: even when they have no control over government actions. This
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  Speaker 1: framework aligns with IHRA's working definition, which identifies conspiracy theories,
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  Speaker 1: collective blame, and demonization as foundations of hatred. The analysis
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  Speaker 1: notes how various entities, from state-linked networks to wealthy donors
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  Speaker 1: and media figures, invest in promoting these narratives, with figures
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  Speaker 1: like Mark Ruffalo and political voices such as The Squad,
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  Speaker 1: Bernie Sanders, and Zoran Mamdani identified as amplifiers. In the
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  Speaker 1: realm of anti-Zionist rhetoric, an argument is being made that
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  Speaker 1: a vocal minority of Jews who denounce Zionism and the
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  Speaker 1: Jewish state are, in effect, serving the forces of antisemitism.
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  Speaker 1: This perspective suggests that actions such as sympathizing with Hamas
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  Speaker 1: or denouncing Israel can meet IHRA criteria This discussion arises
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  Speaker 1: as figures like Brad Lander, poised to enter Congress dismissed
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  Speaker 1: protesters who cursed him as a Zionist, at a rally
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  Speaker 1: as the work of a few loud numbskulls, a response
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  Speaker 1: criticized by some for downplaying such rhetoric. On college campuses,
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  Speaker 1: faculty groups at the University of Pittsburgh are pushing back
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  Speaker 1: against the institution's anti-Semitism report, released in July. They argue
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  Speaker 1: the report's development process violated principles of shared governance, and
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  Speaker 1: that its recommendations could infringe upon academic freedom. The report
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  Speaker 1: itself was established after multiple antisemitic attacks on Jewish students
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  Speaker 1: on or near campus, and includes recommendations for combating antisemitism. Separately,
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  Speaker 1: in Michigan, a mother spoke at a school board meeting
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  Speaker 1: following an incident where a student allegedly drew a swastika,
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  Speaker 1: highlighting concerns over hate symbols appearing in school settings. Finally,
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  Speaker 1: in Edgewater, Chicago, a proposed high-rise development by the Emanuel Congregation,
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  Speaker 1: a Jewish synagogue, has sparked debate. While opponents cite concerns
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  Speaker 1: over beach access and views, one editorial analysis suggests a
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  Speaker 1: whiff of antisemitism may be present in the opposition, despite
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  Speaker 1: broader community development needs. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for
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  Speaker 1: listening to Antisemitism Watch. This report was generated with AI
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  Speaker 1: assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with
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  Speaker 1: primary sources.