Jags, UF, UGA condemn antisemitic messages

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars, University of Florida and University of Georgia powerfully condemned an antisemitic connection projected onto 1 of the elephantine videoboards astatine TIAA Bank Field connected Saturday arsenic good arsenic antisemitic banners displayed connected a Jacksonville overpass connected Friday.

The connection astatine the stadium appeared aft Florida and Georgia played their yearly crippled astatine TIAA Bank Field connected Saturday. The connection displayed connected the backside of 1 of the TIAA Bank Field videoboards read, "Kanye was close astir the Jews." That was successful notation to caller tweets and antisemitic comments made precocious by musician/producer/designer Ye, formerly known arsenic Kanye West.

According to WJXT TV-4 successful Jacksonville, determination besides were 2 banners displayed connected an overpass adjacent Interstate 10 connected Friday that work "End Jewish Supremacy successful America" and "Honk if you cognize it's the Jews."

The schools released a associated connection connected Sunday morning.

"We powerfully condemn the antisemitic hatred code projected extracurricular TIAA Bank Field successful Jacksonville aft the Florida-Georgia shot crippled Saturday nighttime and the different antisemitic messages that person appeared successful Jacksonville," the connection read. "The University of Florida and the University of Georgia unneurotic denounce these and each acts of antisemitism and different forms of hatred and intolerance. We are arrogant to beryllium location to beardown and thriving Jewish communities astatine UGA and UF, and we basal unneurotic against hate."

Jaguars proprietor Shad Khan, who is with his squad successful London for Sunday's crippled against the Denver Broncos, besides was upset to larn of the messages.

"I'm personally dismayed to larn of antisemitic rhetoric and messages that marred the acquisition Saturday astatine the Florida-Georgia game," Khan's connection read. "I cognize this is not typical of our community, but it happened and it's outrageous. It's hurtful and wrong. It has to stop. I'm asking everyone to marque it their ngo to extremity the ignorance and hatred. Let's beryllium better."

Last year, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 2,717 incidents of harassment, vandalism oregon unit targeting Jews -- the highest yearly full since it began tracking these incidents successful 1979. The caller antisemitic incidents travel 4 years aft the deadliest onslaught connected American Jews, erstwhile 11 radical were killed astatine a synagogue successful Pittsburgh, and conscionable days earlier the contentious midterm elections passim the U.S.

A nonprofit founded by New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft took the other measurement of readying to aerial an advertisement during the Patriots-New York Jets crippled connected Sunday that condemned anti-Jewish hatred code and encouraged radical who are not Jewish to talk up against antisemitism.

"Recently galore of you person spoken up,'' the 30-second advertisement from Kraft's Foundation to Combat Antisemitism said. "We perceive you today. We indispensable perceive you tomorrow. There are little than 8 cardinal Jewish radical successful this country. Fewer than are watching this ad. They request you to adhd your voice."

The ad, which was scheduled to aerial during the archetypal 4th of the game, ends with the hashtag: #StandUpToJewishHate.

"I person committed tremendous resources toward this effort and americium vowing to bash more," Kraft said successful a statement. "I promote others to articulation successful these efforts. My anticipation is this commercialized volition proceed to heighten the nationalist speech astir the request to talk retired against hatred of each types, and peculiarly to basal up to Jewish hate.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.