Photo by Cole Keister on Unsplash

Religious freedom advocates are condemning neo-Nazi groups who gathered around the United States on February 25th to celebrate what is deemed as the "National Day of Hate."

The "National Day of Hate" was constructed around beliefs of white supremacy and antisemitism with a goal of spreading fear among Jewish communities. It was prompted by a collaboration between neo-Nazi groups in California, Iowa, and New York, putting anti-terrorism groups and law enforcement on high alert for potential dangers that may arise.

These groups called for their followers to make their message known by graffiti, fliers, protests, and other means; however, there was concern that these acts would turn violent due to their extreme hatred against the Jewish people.

Following observations of various social media posts, the New York City Police Department released an internal Situational Awareness Alert leading up to Saturday. Their statement provided an example from one Domestic Violent Extremist (DVE) that read, "Make your voices loud and clear that the one true enemy of the American people is the Jew. The people demand White Power!"

Various anti-terrorism groups, as well as religious freedom groups, have advocated for the condemnation of the National Day of Hate and those involved in the groups that have collaborated to make this event possible. In New York City, opponents of the hate prayed for peace instead.

Timothy Head, the executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, called upon Christians to rebuke the actions of the neo-Nazi groups, stating, "Antisemitism in all of its forms is evil and goes against the very principles upon which our nation was founded, and we cannot turn a blind eye."

Maria Shriver took to Twitter to express her feelings on the National Day of Hate through a series of tweets, stating, "Hate is corrosive. Hate is destructive to all of us. We must stand strong against hate. We must loudly condemn it at every turn. Today and on all days I condemn hate against anyone."

Through numerous outcries for peace and unity, what was intended to be a day of hate and distress, quickly became a day of support for the Jewish community. Social media posts of support, love, prayers, and encouragement for the community filled Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with the hashtag #ShabbatOfPeaceNotHate, originating from The Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

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