Nazi Salutes Over The 405, Kanye's Rant: LA Grapples With Antisemitism

LOS ANGELES, CA — With antisemitic banners draped over the San Diego (405) Freeway the same weekend antisemitic flyers were plastered across the Westside and one of LA's biggest celebrities spreads naked hate toward Jewish people on social media, LA's month of painful racial reckoning continues.

Even as a racist scandal still grips Los Angeles City Hall, city leaders and the governor issued statements Monday denouncing the explosion of hate speech across the city.

"The poison of hate has no place anywhere, and the rise in anti-Semitism in so many places, including Los Angeles, is deeply disturbing," said L.A. City Councilman Mitch O'Farrell. "It's hard to fathom the malevolence required to put such vile words and gestures on public display, as well as the bigoted mindset required to think this way in the first place.

"These acts are part of an alarming trend of abhorrent verbal and literal attacks against Jews here and everywhere. History has shown that ignorance, bigotry and hatred begets violence. Those of us who believe in and celebrate our pluralism and diversity must speak loudly against this. We absolutely cannot be silent."

Gov. Gavin Newsom pinned some of the blame on former president Donald Trump, a political ally of rapper Kanye West, who seemingly lit the match that ignited the weekend's antisemitic displays when he vowed to go "death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE" in social media posts.

Seven activists with the anti-Jewish group Goyim Defense League draped signs on an overpass of the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles that read, "Kanye is right about the Jews" and "Honk if you know."

Several of the activists were photographed making "Heil Hitler" salutes on the overpass on Saturday.

"This weekend's public display of antisemitic hate is another wake-up call to all of us that we must remain vigilant to protect our values and freedoms as Californians," Newsom said.

"The former president gave a platform to extremists spewing hate speech and we continue to see the dangerous consequences — from the insurrection on January 6th to Nazi salutes and anti-Jewish signs over the 405 freeway here in California.

"Our state is committed to protecting our diverse communities and will continue to lead the fight against racial, ethnic, and religious hate wherever it rears its ugly head."

In response to West's public displays of hate, the Hollywood talent agency CAA dropped Ye, the rapper formerly known Kanye West as a client Monday.

A completed documentary about the rapper has been shelved amid his recent slew of antisemitic remarks.

MRC studio executives Modi Wiczyk, Asif Satchu and Scott Tenley announced in a memo Monday: “We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform.”

Ye was recently restricted from posting on Twitter and Instagram over antisemitic posts that the social networks said violated their policies.

However, the rapper's partnership with Adidas remained intact Monday despite calls for the German company to drop him and his Yeezy brand over the antisemitic rhetoric.

"The thing about me and Adidas is like, I can literally say anti-semitic s**t, and they can't drop me," West said on a since deleted podcast, according to NPR. "I can say anti-Semitic things, and Adidas can't drop me. Now what? Now what?"

Many in the community were stunned by the public displays of antisemitism.

According to FoxLA, surveillance videos showed men in a black SUV distributing the antisemitic flyers in a Westwood. The outlet reported that investigators had linked the flyers to the 405 Freeway banners.

Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police continued to investigate the disbursement Saturday night into Sunday morning.

The flyers were left in an area north of Sunset Boulevard and west of Benedict Canyon Drive, according to Sgt. Scott Dibble of the Beverly Hills Police Department.

Dibble said the disbursement posed no "significant threat" and called the effort "very minimal."

"Outrageous effort to fan the flames of antisemitism gripping the nation. This group is known for espousing vitriolic #antisemitism and white supremacist ideology. Hate has no place in Los Angeles or elsewhere and these attempts will not divide us," the Anti-Defamation League of Southern California tweeted Sunday.

It was unclear if the same group was responsible for the flyers in Beverly Hills. No contact information for the Goyim Defense League could be found.

"Anti semitic flyers thrown on our streets again, Banners on the 405 Freeway, Banners covering up Billboards, Kayne West, Vans driving with antisemitism and racist plastered slogans, Schools having Jew free zones. ENOUGH HATE meant 2 silence us. I will speak LOUDER #Antisemitism," Beverly Hills Mayor Lili Bosse tweeted Sunday.

Bosse is the daughter of Holocaust survivors.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin and the Associated Press contributed to this report.