During one of Sen. Bernie Sanders' (D-VT) rallies in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday, an attendee displayed a Nazi party flag behind the presidential candidate who is Jewish.
In what Steven Slugocki, chairman of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, is calling "absolutely abhorrent," a protester unveiled the Nazi flag with a swastika behind the senator who could potentially become the first Jewish president, The Washington Post reported.
Cheering for Sanders was quickly refocused on booing the protester.
"It was absolutely wild," Brianna Westbrook, a national surrogate for the Sanders campaign, told The Post. "I never thought I would have seen a swastika at a political event. It's gross."
The appearance of the Nazi flag at Sanders' rally caused a social media frenzy.
There is no excuse for this bullshit from @tomwatson. A Trump supporter flew a Nazi flag at Bernie’s rally last night. pic.twitter.com/yGPc90S8KN
— Alex Kotch (@alexkotch) March 6, 2020
As of this writing, neither CNN nor MSNBC has mentioned that a Nazi unfurled a swastika flag at a Bernie Sanders rally last night. The New York Times covered it, but buried the story in a blog post about Sanders cancelling a rally in Mississippi.
— 29 U.S.C. § 157 (@OrganizingPower) March 6, 2020
A white supremacist rasied the Nazi flag at Bernie Rally
Bernie Sanders is a Jewish man whose family was slaughtered by Nazis during the Holocaust
HIS IDENTITY MATTERS
You don't have to support him to show him some empathy & solidarity against this hatepic.twitter.com/k10qWved6p
— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) March 6, 2020
Hanging a swastika at the rally of a presidential candidate who is Jewish and had family executed by Nazi’s during the Holocaust is disturbing and threatening.
Both VP Biden and Sen. Sanders should have secret service protection going forward.
— Stacey Walker (@swalker06) March 6, 2020
A man brought a literal Nazi flag to the rally of a Jewish Socialist candidate for President
He was escorted out by security forcespic.twitter.com/KOLhyJJFxZ
— Siddak Ahuja (@SiddakAhuja) March 6, 2020
We can argue about which candidate should get the Dem nomination, but antisemitic acts have no place in this world. This is absolutely abhorrent. pic.twitter.com/U5gvT7Db6y
— Steven Slugocki (@Slugocki) March 6, 2020
Dropping a Nazi flag in front of a Jewish candidate isn't rude or mean. And it's not just a message for Bernie Sanders.
It's a signal of intent. pic.twitter.com/46nVJrB4SG
— Alex (@JewishWonk) March 6, 2020
Initially, Sanders didn't see the flag, but the viral videos, however, showed Sanders watching the man getting escorted out.
"Whoever it was, I think they're a little outnumbered tonight," Sanders told his supporters.
Not much is known about the protester, and it is unclear if the man is a Trump supporter who wanted to disrupt the Democratic socialist's campaign.
Westbrook said this is one of many protesters that attended the event. Other anti-Sanders protesters were seen waving Trump-inscribed banners, leading to minor fights and protestors being swiftly escorted out of the venue.
The race is perhaps getting too heated with some supporters believing both Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden should have Secret Service protection.
On the day of Super Tuesday, Joe's wife, Jill Biden, had to block vegan protesters who lunged at him. At the Los Angeles, California rally, Symone Sanders, Biden's senior adviser, had to take down a woman with a waist lock, as Blavity previously reported.
