Western Pennsylvania specifically already has a significant portion of white supremacist and extremist groups that are better known and identified in western Pennsylvania. “We've seen a steady rise in antisemitism in Pittsburgh and throughout the country,” Cherner says.
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“There is a difference between free speech and hate speech,” Cherner says. “Hate speech incites violence and creates a threat to the community… I think any extremist symbols, such as Nazi paraphernalia and the messages that were paired with it, can be a precursor to violence.”Ĭherner says the Federation has protocols for dealing with antisemitic threats, and notes the billboards are just one indication of rising threats to the Jewish community, locally and nationally. Laura Cherner, a communications director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, tells City Paper her organization was alerted to the situation, and has been working with local leaders and law enforcement. “You have to believe, particularly with the inclusion of a swastika on this billboard, that there’s something that can be done,” Short says. Summit Township officials told the Eagle they could not intervene because Placek and Oesterling are entitled to freedom of speech, but Short says those at the YWCA-led meeting were not convinced by this argument. Placek has consistently stood by his messaging in interviews with local media outlets. In 2019, Placek was forced to sell a gas station in Worthington after he installed a billboard with racist messaging that angered Sunoco management, according to Triblive. Placek, of Worthington, Pa., has a history of installing billboards with similarly offensive messaging on private property throughout Western Pennsylvania.Įarlier this year, the Jewish Chronicle reported on the appearance of the same swastika-themed display in Armstrong County. The signs are situated on property owned by Owen Oesterling, who is believed to be leasing it to John Placek, according to the Eagle.
“Our goal last night with the group is to take efforts to bring unity in our community and make sure people know there’s a safe space here,” she says.
Short says the new signs have sparked broad outrage. Update: new slides up since this morning :melting_face: /csAB2xqA5j- Steph :crescent_moon: January 10, 2023 Prompting the conversation, a billboard in Summit Township on Monday began displaying a swastika alongside the message: “FBI corrupt & dangerous THE GESTAPO.”Īccording to reporting from the Butler Eagle, the sign is located along a local school bus route and includes a rotation of other hateful and offensive messaging, such as, “Whites are under attack stop it now!!”, “Stop teaching critical racist theory to our kids” “God’s law ‘marriage’ one man-one woman” and “God prohibits same sex marriage.” “There is a significant number of people who are not willing to sit by and let this hate speech go unchallenged,” Elizabeth Short, executive director of YWCA Butler, tells Pittsburgh City Paper.Ībout fifty people, including faith leaders, non-profit leaders, and ordinary residents, attended the Wednesday night meeting, which combined online and in-person participation. projects a revolving sequence of offensive and hateful messaging, including one slide showing a swastika.ĭays after a billboard with a swastika appeared off a main road in Butler County, the local YWCA chapter gathered local leaders and residents to coordinate a community-wide response. A billboard newly installed in Worthington, Pa.
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