A facsimile of the Nazi flag with a giant swastika in the middle was painted on to a central staircase in the middle of the Gorodok shopping mall in the Ukraine capital city of Kiev this weekend.
Kyiv’s shopping mall “Gorodok” pic.twitter.com/VzCnEjA2KZ
— Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky)
The “decoration” appeared in the mall several hours before Ukrainian nationalists marched through central Kiev, according to Eduard Dolinsky, director of the Ukrainian Jewish Committee. The Ukrainian nationalist organization “Sokil” held a rally in the capital brandishing the neo-Nazi Wolfsangel symbol, Dolinsky reported on Twitter.
Ukrainian nationalist marching through central Kyiv pic.twitter.com/7oxH73t0vY
— Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky)
Some 100,000 Jews were slaughtered by the Nazis and their local collaborators at Babi Yar, a ravine in Kiev, during the Holocaust in World War II.
Less than a week ago, a memorial wall at the Jewish cemetery in Kolomiya, Ukraine was vandalized with anti-Semitic grafitti.
A memorial wall at the Jewish cemetery in Kolomiya, Ukraine was vandalized with images of Star of David thrown in trash. pic.twitter.com/VEStFBnZEc
— Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky)
Amid the myriad anti-Semitic “heroes” of World War II who have been honored by Ukraine in recent days, Simon Petlura was one of the most notorious. A bas-relief was installed last month in his honor as well – also in Kiev.
Bas-relief in honor of Simon Petlura whose troops murdered 50 thousand Jews in pogroms in Ukraine was unveiled today in Kiev pic.twitter.com/SQJ7W3GA5D
— Eduard Dolinsky (@edolinsky)
One has to wonder what Jews are still doing there, and what more it might take to convince them to leave, if not for their own safety, then at least for the well-being of their families.