Americans across the country were horrified this past weekend when neo-Nazis held a rally in Orlando, Florida. The demonstrators chanted violently antisemitic phrases like, "The Jew is the devil" and promoted centuries-old antisemitic conspiracy theories that Jews murder children and drink their blood.
The demonstration was organized by the neo-Nazi group, the National Socialist Movement and livestreamed on their website. The group also chanted anti-Black phrases and intends to hold more events, including a convention in Washington state this spring.
Videos and photos of the demonstration soon circulated online.
These are actual Nazis in Florida. This is today’s Republican Party. All Americans must forcefully reject this hate movement.pic.twitter.com/Dy4FsiSj8H
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) January 30, 2022
Social media users called on Florida's far-right governor, Ron DeSantis, to condemn the Nazi demonstrators, but a response from DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw left a lot to be desired.
Nazis have been spreading hate and violence for 2 days in Orlando and this is Governor DeSantis’s press secretary’s response. pic.twitter.com/Al3kZFsObo
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) January 31, 2022
Pushaw wrote in a now-deleted tweet:
"Do we even know they're Nazis? Or is this a stunt like the 'white nationalists' who crashed the Youngkin rally in Charlottesville and turned out to be Dem staffers? I trust Florida law enforcement to investigate and am awaiting their conclusions.
Pushaw was alluding to a scandal that occurred shortly before the Virginia gubernatorial election that eventually saw Republican Glenn Youngkin emerge as the winner. Videos of supposed white nationalists standing guard at a Youngkin event went viral, but they were later revealed to be affiliated with the anti-Trump Republican group, The Lincoln Project. They weren't "Dem staffers" as Pushaw claimed.
She later walked back her comments, writing:
"I should not have commented on this in a way that sounded flippant or dismissive. ... By way of explanation, not justification - I was reacting to a deluge of bad faith attacks from Dems saying that Governor DeSantis caused this protest."
People were disgusted at the Pushaw floating the idea that people waving swastikas might not be Nazis.
The R party is completely unrecognizable at this point.
They’ve lost their minds in their quest for power.
In their efforts to do so, they have sunk so low that they are providing cover for hate groups.
I personally find it deplorable. #DemVoice1 #ONEV1 #ResistanceUnited https://t.co/eyJGLeBVJc
— debbie156-MeidasMighty Ⓜ️Ⓜ️ (@debbie156) January 31, 2022
They’re people spreading anti-Semitic bile, while raising their hands and wearing swastikas. It shouldn’t take much investigation. https://t.co/uz94dLAHRG
— Janet Johnson (@JJohnsonLaw) January 31, 2022
Fascists being fascist in public is always dismissed by the right as being feds, they're totally trying to distance themselves lololololololololololololol https://t.co/197JH5Mgxw
— Zoey 🦉 (@geekyfandoms1) January 31, 2022
This woman adds insult to injury on purpose. Vile. https://t.co/AZ2wVsNFdP
— Marissa Rothkopf (@MarissaRothkopf) January 31, 2022
They were wearing swastikas. https://t.co/BgN3L8IjeO
— Ron Lim (@ronwlim) January 31, 2022
Truly pathetic response from her and indicative of the authoritarian leanings of DeSantis https://t.co/2aL9boNTzo
— DrDinD 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 (@DrDinD) January 31, 2022
And they were fed up with DeSantis pursuing right-wing agendas while his spokespeople downplayed Nazism.
I don't care how much ice cream Ron DeSantis bans, he stays silent when Nazis protest in Florida.
He is no friend to the Jewish people. This tweet by the Florida GOP is tone deaf. https://t.co/cpYOR4bDXf
— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) January 31, 2022
Nazis are gathering near Disney with “Let’s Go Brandon” signs while DeSantis is pushing white discomfort bills
— Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) January 31, 2022
n*zis are given the benefit of the doubt, while teachers now legally cannot say “gay” in a classroom in Florida… https://t.co/yUSiJYglee
— ryan ♛ (@SpacedOutRy) January 31, 2022
In a later statement, Pushaw claimed that, "Governor DeSantis has always condemned hate. He has taken an unequivocal and consistent stand against antisemitism throughout his entire political career."
