opinion
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld was berated by anti-Israel protesters as he left an event in New York City on Sunday night, finding himself accused of being a “pro-genocide” and “Nazi scum!”
Seinfeld confronts protesters
The New York Post reported that Seinfeld was accosted while leaving an event in Manhattan featuring former New York Times columnist Barry Weiss, founder of the Free Press.
“Supporter of genocide, you support genocide,” one protester can be heard shouting at Seinfeld, who tried to smile and wave as he was led into a car surrounded by NYPD officers.
The protesters continued to scream as the Seinfeld car drove away, with one of them shouting, “Fuck you, you support genocide!”
“Nazi scum!” Other demonstrators chanted, according to Fox News. It should be noted that it could not be more bizarre and nonsensical that Jews like Seinfeld are now referred to as “Nazis.”
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Seinfeld attends Vice event – which was previously targeted by pro-Palestine protesters
Seinfeld had just attended an event at the 92nd Street Y that was hosting Weiss, who was giving the community center's annual State of Jews in the World address. Weiss has long been an outspoken supporter of Israel, making her a frequent target of pro-Palestinian protesters.
“The demonstrators criticized Vice, a staunch supporter of Israel, and tried to link it to the death of Palestinian professor and poet Rifaat Al-Arir, who was killed in Gaza in December in an Israeli airstrike,” the Washington Post reported.
Two protesters were arrested outside her event last night.
This was not the first time Seinfeld was targeted by anti-Israel protesters. Last December, pro-Palestinian demonstrators launched a protest against Seinfeld's comedy show outside the Landmark Theater in Syracuse, New York, accusing him of being “complicit in genocide” because of his support for Israel.
Protesters used this protest to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as well as an end to all US aid to Israel, according to the Daily Orange. They also reportedly criticized House lawmakers for passing a resolution earlier that month declaring anti-Zionism to be anti-Semitism.
Seinfeld visits Israel in solidarity
Undeterred, Seinfeld visited the Kibbutz Beer community on the Gaza border days later as part of a solidarity trip to Israel, according to The Times of Israel. There, Seinfeld and his wife Jessica met Yuval Hara, whose father was brutally murdered in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack.
Haran met Seinfeld in the ruins of his family home, and told the comedian how much his father loved his eponymous 1990s sitcom, “Seinfeld.”
“When I heard Seinfeld was coming to the kibbutz, I was really impressed,” Haran said. “He's one of the characters my dad really appreciates, and I can't count the number of times we've sat together and watched 'Seinfeld.'
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Seinfeld and his wife also met with other survivors of the October Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and led to the taking of about 240 hostages.
At the end of the visit, Seinfeld praised the survivors for their resilience, saying he was “proud to be an ambassador for spreading the truth around the world.”
Seinfeld is one of the few American celebrities who stays silent about politics, but what's happening in Israel clearly goes beyond any kind of politics for him. We hope he continues to rise above the anti-Israel protesters targeting him, and we hope he continues to publicly stand with Israel!
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