Saugus Police condemn hate speech banner placed over Route 1

The Saugus Police Department condemned the actions of the masked men that displayed a hateful banner over Route 1 on Saturday but stated that the men were not breaking any laws.

The banner appeared to say an antiemetic phrase connected to the events of 9/11.

“While the First Amendment protects one’s legal right to speech, the Saugus Police Department condemns the hateful messages displayed in our community and we condemn antisemitism and hate in all its forms,” the department’s statement reads in part.

The Anti-Defamation League of New England also spoke out against the actions of the masked men.

“On September 11, a day when we remember a great tragedy experienced by our country and the loss of too many, a number of highway overpasses in our Commonwealth were tarnished with antisemitic banners, held by cowardly masked extremists, blaming these terrorist attacks on Jews,” said ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan said. “The scapegoating of the Jewish community is an age-old but exceedingly harmful antisemitic trope that must be called out and condemned whenever and wherever it occurs. Using this tragedy to spread false, destructive and divisive narratives harms our communities and sense of security and disgraces the memory of the victims from that day. Join us in condemning these activities and in recommitting ourselves to upholding our community values of justice.”

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