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Allen Texas Gunman Held Dangerous Antisemitic Views

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Online pictures showed Mauricio Garcia having Nazi tattoos

A social media page appearing to belong to a gunman who killed eight people at a Dallas-area outlet mall had shared extremist beliefs with rants against Jews, women and racial minorities posted since September, as well as posts about struggling with mental health.

Mauricio Garcia, 33, maintained a profile on the Russian social networking platform OK.ru, including posts referring to extremist online forums, such as 4chan, and content from white nationalists, including Nick Fuentes, an antisemitic white nationalist provocateur.

In the weeks before the attack, Garcia posted more than two dozen photos of Allen Premium Outlets, where an officer killed him after the shooting Saturday, and surrounding areas, including several screenshots of Google location information, seemingly monitoring the mall at its busiest times.

Many of his posts referred to his mental health. In his final post, he lamented what his family might say and wrote that no psychologist would have been able to fix him.

In another post, he made disturbing comments about what makes a mass shooting "important" and praised a person who opened fire at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, this year, killing six people, including three children.

The shooter also posted a series of links to other sites, including a YouTube account that featured a video published the day of the shooting. In it he removed a "Scream" mask and said, "Not quite what you were expecting, huh?"

He also posted photos of a flak vest emblazoned with patches, one of them with the initialism for "Right Wing Death Squad," a popular meme among far-right extremist groups. Another post included a series of shirtless pictures with visible white power tattoos, including SS lightning bolts and a swastika.

The shooter was armed with multiple weapons, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, authorities said.

Agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were tracing at least four weapons found at the scene, a law enforcement source said, including weapons found in his vehicle.

Electronic receipts posted on the shooter's social media account appear to show he spent more than $3,200 on three types of firearms he bought in June through a Dallas gun distributor.

Many of Garcia's other posts were misogynistic, railing against women and parroting language used in incel, or involuntary celibate, communications. In the posts, Garcia referred to specific incel forums and valorized a gunman whose 2014 mass murder spree in Isla Vista, California, is celebrated in incel communities.

Authorities have not revealed a motive. A senior law enforcement source said the gunman's social media site is part of the investigation.

The officials said the preliminary review found the gunman's social media posts were not liked or shared by other users and stressed that the investigation continues.

An official said that authorities believe the shooter acted alone and that investigators continued to interview his relatives and friends.

Vandal Throws Rock at Jewish Man Outside NYC Synagogue in Drive-by Attack

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Police released a photo of the vehicle in hopes of tracking down the suspect

A bigot in a graffiti-covered van chucked a rock at a Jewish man as he entered a Queens synagogue over the weekend, police said early Monday, 

The 23-year-old victim – wearing traditional religious garb – was walking into the Bais Yosef D’Ulem on 72nd Road near 141st Street in Kew Gardens Hills just after 9 a.m. Saturday when the hate crime suspect flung a small rock at him, striking his leg, cops said. 

The suspect did not say anything as they targeted the unsuspecting victim in the cowardly drive-by attack, police said. 

The tagged-up white Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van then continued heading west on 72nd Road toward 139th Street, cops said. 

No arrests have been made. Police released a photo of the vehicle in hopes of tracking down the hateful suspect. 

The victim was not hurt and refused medical attention on the scene. 

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, the department confirmed. 

South Florida High School Defaced with Swastikas

Students at Cooper City High School in Florida are speaking out against antisemitic graffiti that was discovered in a boys’ bathroom.

Two separate pictures sent to 7News by concerned parents showed swastikas on the walls and another graphic image. A second photo shows another swastika on the floor.

“I feel like it’s normalized not for people making stupid racist jokes. It’s sad,” said one student.

“No, it’s not funny. Not funny at all,” added another student.

Parents said the images were discovered last week.

“I think that it’s just boys being stupid. I don’t think they mean to be hateful or anything. They’re just being dumb,” said one student.

Despite some students downplaying the incident, others are taking it more seriously.

“I saw a bunch in the bathroom and like all over the stalls and stuff. It’s rude and weird and not right,” said one student.

“I guess it’s people trying to offend other people,” said one student.

“There are a bunch of attention-seeking people in this school,” added another student.

Broward County Public Schools has acknowledged the situation and said that whoever is responsible for the graffiti will be disciplined within the code of conduct. However, students believe that this sort of hate-filled graffiti has no place in their school.

“I think it’s kids just thinking like – nothing better to do – being bored [with] nothing better to do,” said one student. “They just do it. They write stupid stuff on the walls all the time.”

The school district said they have identified who they believe is responsible and disciplinary measures have been taken.

The investigation continues; in the case that others are involved, they will also face disciplinary action.

Antisemitic Flyers Distributed at California Theme Park

Security became involved after antisemitic flyers were distributed on parked cars at Knott’s Berry Farm on Sunday.

“I came out to my car this afternoon and found an antisemitic flyer placed on my windshield complete with a tiny swastika printed in the corner,” Reddit user u/breakfast4Grumby recalled. “I called Knott’s customer service immediately and was told they would send security into the parking lot.”

Knott’s Berry Farm security reportedly requested that any Guests who notice similar behavior call them immediately. It’s unknown if the Guests distributing the flyers were apprehended.

Another Guest present that day allegedly saw a man with a Nazi tattoo “in the festival buffet building.”

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Last week, a Guest wearing a shirt advertising a white supremacist band was spotted at Disneyland Resort.

Last October, antisemitic flyers accusing The Walt Disney Company of grooming were distributed in mailboxes throughout Southern California. It followed a disturbing rise in public antisemitism after Kanye West (Ye) tweeted that he was going “death con 3 on Jewish people.”

This isn’t the first controversy to hit Southern California Theme Park this season. Knott’s introduced a chaperone policy late last year after multiple fights and violent incidents forced the Park to close early. A reported rise in Theme Park violence has made many Guests afraid to visit Knott’s and similar destinations nationwide.

Dutch Police Arrest over 150 Soccer Fans for Chanting Antisemitic Slogans

Police in the Netherlands arrested more than150 AZ Alkmaar supporters on Saturday night for chanting antisemitic slogans while making their way to a match in Amsterdam.

The incident occurred at a metro station close to the capital’s Johan Cruijff ArenA, home of Ajax Amsterdam.

Opponents of Ajax often refer to the club as “The Jews,” as the team has had several Jewish chairmen and notable players.

Last year, two Dutch fans responsible for antisemitic graffiti targeting a soccer player were ordered by a judge to 60 hours of community service and to visit the Holocaust Memorial of Names in Amsterdam. The Feyenoord supporters—two males ages 42 and 47—drew graffiti on a wall in Rotterdam depicting soccer player Steven Berghuis with a large, hooked nose and dressed in the same striped garments worn by prisoners in Nazi-run concentration camps. The former Feyenoord player was also shown wearing a yellow Star of David badge and a kippah. The text accompanying the caricature said: “Jews always run.”

In 2021, police in the Netherlands investigated footage from a pre-match rally during which fans chanted “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas.”

The incident occurred prior to a game between the Arnhem-based Vitesse and Amsterdam-based Ajax.

Two years before, a Jewish man, identified in the Dutch media only as “Joram,” was verbally and physically assaulted by a group of 50 men on a national holiday known as Liberation Day, as police stood by.

The men, wearing soccer shirts of the Feyenoord club of Rotterdam, had been sitting in a park near the Dutch parliament building, singing, “My father was in the commandos, my mother was in the SS, together they burned Jews ’cause Jews burn the best,” when Joram asked them to stop.

Despite complaints to police, they apparently did not react, while the crowd pushed Joram, who was wearing an Ajax Amsterdam cap.

Swastika Discovered at an Elementary School in Georgia

Daniel Dorsch, the Rabbi at Congregation Etz Chaim, said multiple congregants informed him this week that a swastika was found drawn on a bathroom wall at Mt. Bethel Elementary in east Cobb, Georgia.

"Of course, this is sad whenever it happens," Dorsch said. "It's also an opportunity to promote education, because when things like this happen in elementary school, it's usually from a place of ignorance more than anything else."

In a letter to the school community, Principal Tucker Smith said staff discovered an antisemitic image drawn by a student on Wednesday, immediately removed it and began an investigation into the incident.

"As a reminder to students and their families, this destructive behavior is against our school policies and can come with severe repercussions," Smith wrote. "Please help us to reinforce appropriate behavior, to treat each other kindly, and to respect others as well as our school building and property."

Dorsch told the MDJ Friday he will meet with Smith Monday to discuss the vandalism at Mt. Bethel Elementary.

"It's an opportunity as a rabbi to go to the school and meet with the classrooms and maybe read some stories and talk," Dorsch said, though he won't know what the follow-up will look like until Monday's meeting.

He added Smith seems to have handled the situation well, and he looks forward to their meeting.

To close his letter to the school community, Smith said his administration's top priority is ensure the safety of Mt. Bethel Elementary staff and students.

"We will continue to be zealous in our efforts to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all our students," he said.

Connecticut Middle School Baseball Team Investigated for Antisemitic, Racist Incident

The Middletown Public Schools district is investigating an alleged racist incident that involved a middle school baseball team.

Superintendent Dr. Alberto Vazquez Matos sent parents a letter that stated members of the Beman Middle School baseball team engaged in hateful acts.

“We as parents need to take responsibility for our kids, what they’re learning, and unfortunately, what they’re not learning,” said Brian Donahue, a founding member of a state activist group called Not Just Us.

Donahue was one of many who were disappointed in hearing about such an antisemitic act in Connecticut.

The letter, which was sent to parents on Wednesday, said the team engaged in racist, antisemitic, and offensive language, vulgarity, and the shared offensive and insensitive images.

The letter went on to say that in the coming days, there would be a “restorative circle” with the team to address the incident. All Beman students will also be provided education and support related to diversity and inclusion.

Donahue said he hoped the incident would be a significant teaching moment for the team and a message to other students as well

“I have compassion for them, however, the major thing to learn is that it is not right. You have to teach the children respect for each other, boundaries for each other, guidance,” he said.

Donahue said that that lesson starts at home. “Have themselves, as parents, be a shining example to their children about the diversities and how great it is that not everyone is the same,” he said.

The school district said once the investigation is completed, a recommendation will be made.

Antisemitic Symbols Discovered on a University Campus in Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University President Jonathan Green has addressed the campus community regarding an antisemitic action. Early Wednesday evening, Green sent a note to the campus regarding the discovery hours earlier of the drawing of two swastikas on a whiteboard in an Apfelbaum Hall classroom.

“Let us be clear: this is an antisemitic symbol of hate,” he wrote. “Swastikas have long been used to terrorize Jewish people and promote a white supremacist agenda.”

“Hate does not belong here. Bigotry, racism, sexism, and acts of prejudice toward others based upon their religion, their gender identity, or that of those they choose to love do not belong here,’” Green said in notifying the campus about the latest incident.

He said an investigation is taking place into the drawing of the swastikas and two previous reports and encouraged anyone with information to contact Campus Safety or members of the college’s Inclusive Excellence staff.

A temporary sign will be installed in the classroom where the swastikas were drawn and training will be held to address acts of antisemitism, he said.

Classes at SU are winding down for the fall semester and commencement is slated for May 20.

Illinois Man Charged with Making Violent Threats Towards Synagogue

Antioch police arrested a man Friday evening who they said made threats towards Jewish organizations across the country and then made repeated direct violent threats toward a local synagogue. Christopher Williams, 33, of Antioch, was charged by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office with Hate Crime, a Class 4 Felony, and Electronic Harassment, a Class 4 Felony, according to a news release from the village.

Antioch police and federal law enforcement partners started the months-long investigation after Williams allegedly made threats towards Jewish organizations across the country, according to the release.

He then made “repeated directed threats of violence” towards a synagogue in nearby Lindenhurst, according to the release. NGO StopAntisemitism shared a photo of Christopher Williams with their followers on social media.

In November, the Department of Homeland Security issued a terrorism threat bulletin saying the country remains in a “heightened threat environment.”

According to DHS, lone offenders and small groups motivated by a range of beliefs and personal grievances pose a “persistent and lethal threat to the homeland.”

“Targets of potential violence include public gatherings, faith-based institutions, the LGBTQI+ community, schools, racial and religious minorities, government facilities and personnel, U.S. critical infrastructure, the media, and perceived ideological opponents,” the bulletin read.

Williams was arrested near his home in Antioch and he is being held on a $700,000 bond, according to the release.

“This type of discrimination and threats of violent behavior will not be tolerated in our community where we foster the core values of respect and inclusivity,” Antioch Police Department Chief Geoffrey Guttschow said in a news release. “I would like to personally thank our federal partners, Lake County States Attorney, and my officers for their dedication to the safety of our Lake County residents.”

Anti-Jewish 'GDL' Flyers Scattered Around Pennsylvania Neighborhood

Residents in a Monroe County, Pennsylvania neighborhood say they’re horrified after finding disturbing anti-Jewish flyers outside their homes last week.

East Broad Street in East Stroudsburg is known for its quiet and tight-knit community. It’s an area residents like Adam Anik say he would never expect to experience hate.

But on Thursday, around half a dozen residents found antisemitic messages on their driveways and mailboxes.

“Quite graphic and clearly photocopied and there were all sorts of disclaimers at the bottom on the back that you were not targeted, these were randomly placed,” says Anik.

The plastic bags were filled with corn and two different flyers attacking the Jewish faith. One of them reads that it has “distributed thousands and thousands” of messages across America and that it is “not intimidation.”

The bottom of the flyer provides a link to a Jewish supremacist streaming platform.

NGO StopAntisemitism has been following the group responsible for these antisemitic flyer drops. The group in question is the white supremacist group, the Goyim Defense League. The group travels the country intimidating Jewish communities with antisemitic flyer drops.

Anik says he immediately reached out to his neighbors to find the person responsible.

“Some of them just threw them out, some of them never even knew they got them because I collected them before they saw them. So I explained to them what it was and they were horrified.”

Anik tells us he then brought the flyers to state representative Tarah Probst’s office who delivered them to Stroud Area Regional Police.

“Hate has no home in the 189th district and whoever is you know the culprit of delivering these hateful messages, I really hope that the police can find them,” said Probst.

With the shockwave of the messages still on the minds of residents, Anik says he wants to know the reason why someone did this.

“This is not going to solve any problems and just make things worse all the way around. We’re better than this.”

Cleveland Catholic High School Hurls Antisemitic Slurs at Jewish Opponents During Lacrosse Match

The Orange City School District confirms it has received a report that members of its high school boys lacrosse team were subjected to antisemitic slurs during a junior varsity game against Elyria Catholic Monday evening.

In an email sent to district families and staff members Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Dr. Lynn Campbell says administrators are "actively investigating" the allegations while also providing "support to the affected students to help them as they navigate moving forward." The incident would have taken place during the Lions' JV contest against the Panthers' co-ed squad in Lorain County, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland has since told 3News the accusation involves a member of EC's team.

"The safety and wellbeing of students is our top priority," Campbell wrote. "Part of that safety includes making sure students are treated fairly and respectfully and making it clear that the District condemns the type of behavior alleged to be involved here."

This is not the first time alleged antisemitism has been directed at Orange lacrosse players. During a varsity game last season against Lake Catholic, photos showed a Cougars player with a swastika on his calf, and an investigation later found a teammate had put the symbol on the player's leg without the player knowing. As a result, the student responsible was barred from Lake Catholic graduation ceremonies and required to complete a Jewish heritage program, and head coach Chris Hastings resigned. The school did not field a boys lacrosse team this season after failing to find a replacement.

NGO Jewish watchdog organization, StopAntisemitism, were some of the first to report on the incident. Their efforts led to the exit of head coach Hastings.

Regarding Monday's alleged incident, the diocese released the following statement:

"The Elyria Catholic administration and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland were made aware of an allegation that a member of the Elyria Catholic co-ed lacrosse team made an anti-Semitic statement toward the Orange High School lacrosse team. The school is actively investigating the situation, is in dialogue with school personnel from Orange City Schools, and will take appropriate disciplinary action as warranted once all the facts are known. Elyria Catholic High School and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland categorically condemn antisemitism of any kind."

Coincidentally, Campbell's investigation announcement came on the same day a bullet was found inside the Orange High School cafeteria. Police say a student later admitted to owning the bullet and that a rifle and ammunition were also found inside the student's car.

Antisemitism Reported at UC Santa Cruz Including a Hitler Birthday Celebration

The University of California Santa Cruz has received two separate reports of incidents of antisemitism and hate.

In a statement, they say one happened on campus and the other to a student in downtown Santa Cruz.

According to Dr. Akirah Bradley-Armstrong, the vice chancellor for student affairs and success, the first reported incident took place on campus on Thursday, April 20.

A group of students reportedly gathered to celebrate Adolf Hitler’s birthday. It was reported they sang happy birthday and ate cakes decorated with hateful symbols.

The second reported incident took place in downtown Santa Cruz on Friday, April 21. A student found an antisemitic and anti-LGBTQIA+ flyer on their car’s windshield.

The flyer included degrading claims about Jewish people and LGBTQIA+ people.

In a statement, the vice chancellor for student affairs unequivocally condemned any and all antisemitic and anti-LGBTQIA+ actions and said the on-campus incident has been referred to student conduct for follow-up and adjudication.

He said they also reached out to the city of Santa Cruz to address the flyer reported downtown.

Counseling and psychological services are being offered to students and staff in the wake of these incidents.

Colorado Students Disciplined over Antisemitic Drawings

Multiple students at Campus Middle School will face discipline after drawing swastikas on their arms following a presentation about the Holocaust last week, according to an e-mail sent to school families by the principal on Monday.

“This creates an unacceptable environment of intolerance and exclusion in our school community,” Campus principal Lissa Staal wrote to parents, asking them for their help addressing the behaviors in the student community.

The letter didn’t specify the discipline the students will face after drawing the hateful symbols. A grassroots watchdog group, StopAntisemitism, shared a photo of the swastikas via social media on Monday, calling on the school district and community to intervene. By Tuesday morning the post had more than 200 retweets on Twitter.

“We take matters like this very seriously and do not tolerate antisemitic or any hate-motivated actions or words,” Lauren Snell, a spokeswoman for Cherry Creek Schools, wrote to 9NEWS on Tuesday morning.

Staal told parents that the conduct would be addressed during a presentation planned for this week called “No Place for Hate Awareness Week.”

“We want all our students to feel safe to be themselves at CMS, and know they are seen, respected and valued as essential members of our student community,” Staal wrote in the letter.

This is the full letter sent to families this week:

Dear Campus Families,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am reaching out to ask for your partnership in addressing inappropriate and concerning behaviors we are seeing within our student community. Over the weekend, we had reports of students drawing antisemitic symbols (swastikas) following our Holocaust presentation on Friday. This creates an unacceptable environment of intolerance and exclusion in our school community. When these events are reported to the administration, we address them immediately and those involved face disciplinary consequences.

This week, we will continue to work to educate our students around the impact of this behavior through our already planned No Place for Hate Awareness Week. We are providing Advisory lessons around the negative impact and trauma that hate speech, antisemitism, anti-ableism and the use of racial slurs have on the overall culture of our school environment. We want all our students to feel safe to be themselves at CMS, and know they are seen, respected and valued as essential members of our student community. 

We ask for your partnership and support with engaging in conversations with your child(ren) around these behaviors. I have included a link to a district resource you may find helpful in having these conversations with your student. I value your partnership in creating a safe and inclusive learning environment, and I welcome any questions or concerns you may have. 

Antisemitic Vandalism Continues to Spreads Across Metro Detroit

UPDATE May 3rd, 2023: Randi Lucille Nord is charged with ethnic intimidation and malicious destruction of property. If convicted, she could spend up to two years in prison for the ethnic intimidation charge; more here.

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A string of antisemitic hate crimes across Oak Park and Royal Oak is causing concern and distress in the Jewish community.

Tamar and Shaul Anthony were the victims of the swastika stroller vandalism and say it's an unfortunate reality that their Jewish faith makes them the target of hate.

"In my hometown, I've had people yell things out the window," Tamar said.

But words turned to action this weekend when a Nazi symbol was sprayed on their child’s stroller.

"It's kind of scary that someone came up to our property and were like, 'Hey Jews here. We don't like you.'"

A neighbor told Shaul that a swastika was drawn on his car this week. NGO StopAntisemitism shared the images of the two incidents on their social media platforms.

And in Royal Oak, the letters AZOV were sprayed on a synagogue.

"Immediately, I put AZOV into Google. The top search item that came up was a pro-Nazi Ukrainian militia," Rabbi Mendel Polter said.

Mendel Polter, who is the Rabbi at Woodward Avenue Schul, also adds that AZOV means 'leave' in Hebrew.

StopAntisemitism shared their outrage over the incident and shared the image with their followers on Twitter.

"I have ancestors who went through the Holocaust. I have relatives who were killed by the Nazis. The swastika represents everything that in the last century was the greatest antithesis of Judaism," Rabbi Polter said.

"They're trying to instill fear. They're trying to channel our energies into fighting them, and we have so much better to do," the rabbi said.

South Florida Police Apprehend Assailant After Physically and Verbally Attacking a Jewish Man

PBSO deputies responded to a robbery that had occurred at the Walmart located at 22100 South State Road 7, Boca Raton. The suspect, Daniel Scanlan, hit a male victim from behind, removed his black yarmulke (Orthodox Jewish skullcap), and called him a “Dirty Jew Kike.” The suspect then spat in it, threw it to the ground, and once again struck the victim. 

A female patron attempted to intervene, and the suspect snatched her cell phone from her hands, called her a “C-word,” and threw her to the ground, causing a minor laceration to her right elbow. As the female victim was attempting to retrieve her phone, the suspect purposely threw it to the ground. The suspect then fled to a White Kia vehicle and drove away.   

NGO StopAntisemitism quickly shared the news of the antisemitic incident and arrest of Daniel Scanian on Twitter.

On May 1, 2023, PBSO detectives apprehended Daniel Scanlan. Scanlan was transported to the PBC Jail to face charges, including robbery and battery. A hate crime enhancement is possible, according to police. He remains held in the Palm Beach County Jail.

South Florida Police Cruiser Vandalized with Antisemitic Messaging

“Kill the Chabad…Hitler greatest person” was the message left behind after a hate filled person vandalized a police vehicle parked outside the Chabad center in Hallandale Beach.

The police car had been parked as a deterrent in front of Congregation Levi Yitzchok-Lubavitch, Chabad of South Broward on 1295 East Hallandale Beach Boulevard. The vandal smashed a window of the police cruiser and left profanity and hate filled messages before fleeing, thankfully leaving the Chabad center itself without damage.

Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus of Chabad of South Broward called the incident a Hate Crime in conversation with JewishMiami.info.

The police cruiser was removed from in front of the Chabad center Monday morning as the police investigate the incident.

Antisemitic 'GDL' Flyers Discovered in New Orleans

A resident in the Bywater says he's shocked after finding some nasty antisemitic flyers on his front stoop. 

Nat Lawrence Leichtman told Eyewitness News that he "Came home to find these little packets, just deranged antisemitic propaganda."

Antisemitic flyers, filled with rhetoric that's so hateful we won't show it on TV or on the web.

The flyers were placed in sandwich bags and thrown in front of people's houses; neighbors say there were several on their pathways. They say they wore gloves because they were worried this package could've been contaminated.

StopAntisemitism identified the antisemitic flyer and attributed it to the Goyim Defense League (GDL). The GDL is run by white supremacist Jon Minadeo II. The league travels city to city, tormenting Jewish communities with antisemitic flyer drops. Minadeo was listed twice as the watch group’s “Antisemite of the Week.”

Lawerence Leichtman says he instantly reported the package.

British News Outlet Apologizes for Running Antisemitic Cartoon

The Guardian apologized on Saturday for an antisemitic cartoon depicting Jewish ex-BBC chairman Richard Sharp that the paper published.

The cartoon was made after Sharp quit as chairman of the BBC when it was revealed that he had failed to disclose that former prime minister Boris Johnson had secured an £800,000 loan with Sharp's help.

The cartoon features a caricature of Johnson sitting naked atop a mound of garbage with sacks of money, saying "cheer up, matey! I put you down for a peerage in my resignation honours list" to a caricature of Sharp who can be seen carrying a box of belongings and a CV. The box is clearly a Goldman Sachs box and seems to be full of gold coins. Two other objects can be seen in the box - a squid and a head with a massive nose that seems to be wearing a black kippa.

Dave Rich, an author who specializes in antisemitic issues said that squids are a "common antisemitic motif" that relates to antisemitic conspiracy theories that Jews have tentacles wrapped around those they want to control. "You might argue that outsized facial features and tentacles are common to other topics too, so it's just a cartoon thing," he said. "Except where something has a long and familiar antisemitic history, it takes on a different meaning when you apply it to Jews."

The cartoon drew much criticism from the British-Jewish community as well as politicians on both sides of the spectrum. Johnson said on Saturday that Martin Rowson, who drew the cartoon, ought to resign over the image, according to the Daily Mail.

Following the backlash garnered from the cartoon, The Guardian made a statement on Saturday apologizing for it. "We understand the concerns that have been raised," said a spokesperson for the publication. "This cartoon does not meet our editorial standards, and we have decided to remove it from our website. The Guardian apologizes to Mr. Sharp, to the Jewish community and to anyone offended."

Rowson later uploaded a statement to his personal website saying that he had not intended for the cartoon to be received in this way but many were not buying his words. Jewish advocacy group StopAntisemitism pointed out a prior antisemitic cartoon of his from 2006.