MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Jeffrey Dinowitz: Anti-vaxxers protest with Nazi symbols near Jewish politician's office

The protesters were rallying against a state bill sponsored by Jeffrey Dinowitz, which would require New York students to be vaccinated before attending school

During an anti-vaccine protest outside a Jewish lawmaker’s office in the Bronx on Sunday, November 14, at least two protesters displayed Nazi symbols. While one woman held a poster with the image of a swastika, a man wore a yellow Star of David attached to his jacket. The protest took place outside the Kingsbridge office of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

The protesters outside Dinowitz's office were rallying against a state bill sponsored by him, which would require New York students to be vaccinated before attending school. Reportedly, the rally was organized by former Westchester County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino, who took to Twitter to claim that he was unaware of the symbols. "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," he wrote. 

READ MORE

Christopher Key: Anti-vaxxer compares Walmart pharmacists to Nazi, says they may hang

Vaccines have been mandatory for years, so why the drama over Covid-19?

Who is Jeffrey Dinowitz?

Dinowitz took to Twitter to slam the anti-vaxxers who displayed Nazi symbols. "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," he wrote. In a previous post, he informed the public that there may be an anti-vax event outside his district office. "PSA: It has come to my attention that there may be an anti-vax event outside of my district office tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon. Please avoid the area if you are concerned about the potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19 or other preventable diseases," he had written. 

American politician Dinowitz, 66, represents District 81 in the New York State Assembly, which comprises Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn Heights. He has been serving in the New York State Assembly since 1994. He is well known for having served as President of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club three times previously. To this day, he remains an active member of the club. 

He recently spoke about how mandates are a part of life and noted that several vaccine mandates are in place for children who are attending schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “The fact that children have to get the vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella, etc. — that’s a mandate. You have to wear your seatbelt in your car. That is a mandate. You’re driving on the right side of the car — mandate,” Dinowitz told News 12.

It is expected that the US will begin vaccinating children under 12 sometime next month if the FDA clears low doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11. Now, with the emergence of the extra-contagious delta variant to Covid-19, Pfizer reported last week that its kid-size doses prevented nearly 91% of symptoms among children that age.  Most of the people who gathered in front of Dinowitz's office claim, that they're not anti-vaccination, they're just against being forced especially when it comes to their children, reports News12.