Anti-Nazi Posters Prompt Hate Crime Alert From Confused Cops

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN – Police have stopped looking for two men accused of posting anti-Semitic hate speech on a Williamsburg wall because the posters are actually campaigning against hate.

Two workers were briefly wanted for aggravated harassment in regards to several "anti-semitic" posters that appeared on Driggs Avenue between North Seventh and North Eighth streets on Aug. 22, police announced at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.

But two hours later, the NYPD press office followed up with an email stating briefly, "Correction: the posters were not anti-Semitic."

The posters, which show crossed-out swastikas, were put up by the clothing company Alife in conjunction with a street artist called KATSU to advertise a new line called "The Climate," a spokesperson told Patch.

"Our message was anti-Swastika, anti- negativity, anti- sexism and anti-racism," an Alife spokesperson said in a statement. "The NYPD misunderstood the art in our campaign."

"Looks like they don't know how to handle this," Instagram user jamma2dvs replied to the photo Alife posted of police considering the campaign. "What is it? Is it a hate crime, freedom of speech or just vandalism...."

"It's clear it is dope."

Hypebeast reported the line's release in August, noting the anti-swastika design would appear on t-shirts and hoodies that cost upwards of $200 and that certain "The Climate" merchandise came with signed posters.

Header photos courtesy of the NYPD