HALIFAX – Halifax Regional Police are investigating comments posted on social media after a pubic complaint alleging they are anti-Semitic.
Police won’t say who posted the comments or what site they were posted on. However, earlier Wednesday afternoon about a dozen controversial tweets were posted under the Twitter handle @DawgfatherPHD. Before making the posts, @DawgfatherPHD sent out a warning tweet, writing “there will be a cartoon about 9/11 and the holocaust posted to test the same freedom of expression they have with prophet muhammad.s.a.w.”
@DawgfatherPHD, a local food cart vendor, said the so-called jokes about the Holocaust and 9-11 were made to show that freedom of expression cuts both ways. But now police are investigating whether those comments legally crossed into hate speech territory.
“Halifax Regional Police received a complaint from a member of the public, that complaint was related to what appear to be concerning anti-Semitic remarks made on a social media website,” said Staff Sgt. Don Moser. “There are matters under the criminal code that could apply here, our job is to investigate those allegations and determine whether charges are appropriate.”
The comments come on the same day as a new photography exhibit was launched in Halifax to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It’s estimated that more than one million Jews were murdered at the notorious Nazi concentration camp.
Philip Riteman is a Holocaust survivor who said he has no time for jokes about the Holocaust.
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“People don’t want to learn,” he said. “But they’ll pay a big price eventually, I know people are ignorant, stupid.”
The Atlantic Jewish Council’s executive director is condemning the Twitter comments. Jon Goldberg called the tweets “abhorrent” and “disgusting.” But he said while he hoped the comments met the grounds for criminal charges, he isn’t certain they will.
On Wednesday evening the @DawgfatherPHD took to Twitter again, writing “my point about free speech being limited was made loud and clear! A double edge sword cuts on both sides with equal pain.”
Police said they don’t know how long the investigation will take but added that complaints about anti-Semitic comments are rare in Halifax.
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