Pete Buttigieg draws flak for 'insensitive' photo of him posing in front of Berlin's Holocaust Memorial
South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg is facing criticism online after a picture of him at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin resurfaced on Sunday, November 17. The top 2020 Democratic contender's picture was originally posted on Instagram in 2017 by his husband Chasten Buttigieg with the caption: "This guy."
The picture, which was circulated on Twitter on Sunday, was denounced by many as some social media users called the photo and the caption "tone-deaf", "inappropriate", "tasteless" and "disrespectful".
One Twitter user wrote: "Honestly, I think it's more the caption than the picture itself. Something about implying how dreamy your husband is with a Holocaust memorial as the backdrop comes off as a bit tone-deaf, so it's actually a decent microcosm of the Buttigieg campaign."
A screenshot of the picture was first posted by NBC reporter Ben Kesslen, who wrote: "is this... at the holocaust memorial in berlin... " on Sunday.
It is considered disrespectful for people to take pictures at Holocaust memorials and concentration camps like Auschwitz, however, tourists often take photos of the place and themselves at the memorials.
"Only a stone-cold psychopath makes the holocaust memorial about his adorable relationship. Shame on you," one Twitter user wrote.
There were some social media users who defended the picture, deeming the photo harmless and called its criticism politically motivated. One user wrote: "He looks more respectful than most people who visit the memorial nowadays. Anyone who's been there can attest."
"As someone who lost relatives in the Holocaust, including my great grandparents, your using this to smear Pete is absolutely appalling to me. Try a little self-reflection," another user commented on Kesslen's post.
The 2020 Democratic frontrunner also recently came under fire as his presidential campaign used a picture of a Kenyan woman to promote his plan to help the black community in the United States.
The gaffe came amid pressure on him to demonstrate he can win over black voters, who for now have largely sided with former vice president Joe Biden.