Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astoino, during a campaign event in the Bronx on Nov. 14, was ‘photobombed’ by a woman who was holding a sign that included a swastika. The event was held to promote the right of parents and children not to be required to vaccinate for COVID; Astorino is a candidate for Governor of New York.
The event was held outside the office of Bronx Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz. Once Assemblymember Dinowitz saw the photo with the sign, he tweeted, “The display of swastikas and yellow Stars of David outside my office today is repugnant and offensive. People are perfectly free to express their opinion on vaccines or any issue, but to openly display Nazi symbols outside the office of a Jewish legislator is despicable.”
In another tweet, Sen. Dinowitz said, “Rob Astorino stood right next to these anti-Semitic symbols and said NOTHING. All Republican leaders should condemn this unacceptable use of anti-Semitic imagery. I am sorry to any constituents who passed by this repugnant display outside of my office today.”
Astorino said that he did not see the sign or the swastika, tweeting “I had no idea until I saw this photo. If I’d seen it I’d have told them to take sign down. No comparison to those atrocities & yes, I’ve always condemned anti-semitism. But my offer still stands, Jeff. Have the guts to meet w/ me & learn why so many parents oppose your mandate.”
Astorino also tweeted, “Not only didn’t I see the sign, woman holding it had a different sign when I met her prior to the event. Regardless of who the woman was or why she was there, if I saw the sign I would have stopped and had it removed. Absolutely inappropriate.”
One question that many in the media have is, if Astorino didn’t see the sign, then how come nobody from his campaign stepped forward to have it removed or halt the press conference. Larchmont Indivisible tweeted this thought, “All of your handlers stood there looking at the sign and didn’t stop you. We don’t believe you.”
Another member of the crowd had a Yellow Star of David on his jacket. Members of the anti-vax community have been wearing the yellow star, which was used by the Nazis to idenify Jews in Germany and their occupied countries in the 1930’s and 40’s.
Astorino, while disavowing the connection to the Holocaust, remained anti-vax mandate. “Hey Jeff, it’s an anti-mandate event. Based on the science and data. Swing by your office during our event and I’ll explain it to you and why you should pull your bill and leave children alone,” tweeted Astorino, who served as Westchester County Executive from 2009-2017. He ran for State Senate last year in Northern Westchester, but lost to democrat State Senator Peter Harckham.
