Swastika found inside US State Department elevator, Blinken condemns ‘abhorrent’ act
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that a swastika was found carved in an elevator at the State Department earlier in the week as he condemned the “abhorrent” anti-Semitic incident.
“Late yesterday, I learned that a swastika was found carved in an elevator at the Harry S Truman building. The hateful graffiti has been removed and this incident will be investigated,” Blinken said in an internal email to State Department employees, according to a person familiar with the matter.
For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Axios first reported on the incident and said the elevator was near the office of the State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.
BREAKING: A swastika was found etched into the wall of a State Department elevator on Monday, according to a person familiar with the discovery and a picture obtained by Axios.https://t.co/12aXn8xXGY
— Axios (@axios) July 27, 2021
In the email to State Department employees, Blinken said the incident was a painful reminder that anti-Semitism “isn’t a relic of the past. It’s still a force in the world, including close to home.”
He added: “And it’s abhorrent. It has no place in the United States, at the State Department, or anywhere else.”
The top US diplomat, who is currently in India on an official visit, said the State Department was grateful and proud of its Jewish colleagues.
Read more: US Secretary Blinken’s India visit puts human rights, China on table
-
When shouting ‘Anti-Semitism’ became the little boy that cried ‘Wolf’
During the escalating situation between Israel and Palestine a renewed discussion of the semantic difference between the concepts of Anti-Semitism and ... Opinion -
Israeli embassy accuses Chinese state TV of ‘blatant anti-Semitism’
Israel’s Embassy in China is protesting what it describes as “blatant anti-Semitism” on a program ran by the overseas channel of state broadcaster ... World News -
US, Bahrain’s King Hamad Center sign deal to fight anti-Semitism, promote peace
Bahrain’s King Hamad Global Center signed an agreement on Friday to fight anti-Semitism and promote Middle East peace alongside the US government.The ... Gulf