One of the most vulgar public displays of anti-Semitism in recent memory occurred at a massive “carnival” parade that UNESCO previously honored on its list of “intangible world heritage” assets.
The Aalst “carnival” celebration dates back to the Middle Ages, and the outrageous display of Jew-hatred at this year’s parade was truly medieval.
One float depicted grotesque caricatures of Orthodox Jews, with side-locks, bulbous noses, and fur “shtreimel” hats, perched atop bags of money with a rat one of their shoulders. Another float featured a troupe of dancers dressed in similar get-ups, whose routine began with a shout of “Shalom.”
The parade, previously endorsed by the UNESCO, also included people in blackface and others dressed as members of the Ku Klux Klan hate group.