Illinois anti-lockdown protester waves Nazi slogan from Auschwitz concentration camp
The sign, reading 'Arbeit macht frei, JB' appeared to be addressed to Governor JB Pritzker who is Jewish
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An anti-lockdown protester in Illinois has been widely condemned for brandishing a sign bearing a Nazi slogan from the gates of Auschwitz concentration camp.
The woman, who has not been identified, was part of a group protesting to "Re-Open Illinois' in Chicago on Friday.
The sign, reading "Arbeit macht frei, JB" appeared to be addressed to Illinois Governor JB Pritzker - who is Jewish.
The German words translate to "work will set you free", the phrase that was hung above the gates of the Nazi German concentration camp in occupied Poland where more than 1m people died at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
The sign was widely condemned including by representatives of the Auschwitz Memorial, who tweeted: "'Arbeit macht frei' was a false, cynical illusion the SS gave to prisoners of #Auschwitz. Those words became one of the icons of human hatred. It's painful to see this symbol instrumentalized & used again to spread hate. It's a symptom of moral & intellectual degeneration."
The photograph of the sign was taken by nurse, Dennis Kosuth, on Friday afternoon, who was at the event as a counter-protester with other frontline medical workers who are battling the pandemic.
Kosuth, who lost a friend and colleague from the coronavirus this week, told The Independent that he was disgusted by the sign.
He said: "I don’t read German but I knew what that phrase meant and asked if she was a Nazi. She denied that she was and told me that she has Jewish friends, as if that was a legitimate argument."
Mr Kosuth said that anti-lockdown protesters confronted him and other nurses, accusing them of being actors and claiming that the Covid-19 death toll was inaccurate.
He added: "I’m glad this picture is out there because we must never forget history. I understand that people are suffering, losing their jobs, health insurance, struggling to pay bills and buy food. I am fortunate to still be working, and think those who cannot right now must be given more help then that have been."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments