KRAKOW, Poland (JTA) — An activist who says he is working to “liberate Poland from American Jews’ occupation” unveiled an effigy in Lodz of a Jewish politician hung on a gallows.
Sławomir Dul presented the display featuring the late communist politician Jakub Berman, captioned “Jew,” outside the headquarters of the city’s police station Tuesday, Gazeta Wyborcza reported. The building stands in what used to be the Lodz Ghetto.
Dul shouted “I did it, I hung a Jew,” the report said.
Police officers documented the display without intervening immediately, according to Gazeta Wyborcza. Outraged passers-by did dismantle it, the report said.
Police told Dul to leave when the display became a cause for disturbing public order, a police spokesman said. Dul left without resisting.
On April 26, locals from a town in southern Poland re-enacted the custom of casting judgment on Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, using a life-size effigy of a stereotypical Jew with a hooked nose and sidelocks.
The incident provoked international condemnations, including from the State of Israel.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.