On Saturday morning at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh Jewish

families gathered for worship on the day of Sabbath. Robert Bowers, a

46-year-old white man with no previous convictions and unknown to

authorities, entered the synagogue armed with assault rifles and shot

and killed 11 people, injured 6 more, and was heard spouting antisemitic

rhetoric as he did so.

The authorities have classed this as a “hate crime”, while others are

calling for this violent, racist mass killing to be considered an act of

terrorism. What we know now, is that for months

Bowers was using various social media platforms to spew racist,

antisemitic, hateful comments and conspiracy theories; he would re-post

nazi media; and was sharing anti-refugee sentiments with his

followers. Gab, an alternative social media platform popular with white

supremacists and neo-nazis, was frequently

used by Bowers – who posted on it one final time before perpetrating this

horrific killing.

Saturday’s mass shooting of Jews during worship

was nothing short of a senseless act of hate and violence. When fascists

say they should have the right to espouse their hateful ideas they do not

intend to debate us in the market place of ideas. When nazis say they

want to kill Jews, or ethnically cleanse their neighborhoods, or send

migrants and refugees back where they came from; they mean they want to

use violence to impose their will.

This is why we fight fascism. This is why we must continue to resist

fascist violence and ideology wherever it breeds.

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their

lives on Saturday, and our Jewish comrades.