From the Liveblog of
Monday, January 9, 2017
Russian Embassy tweets out picture of hate frog Pepe
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleRussia’s London embassy is taking flak online after tweeting a picture of Pepe the frog, a cartoon meme co-opted by the neo-Nazi alt-right and widely seen as a hate symbol.
In today’s papers: pundits call on @Theresa_May to disrupt possible Russia-US thaw. No trust in Britain's best friend and ally? pic.twitter.com/4TNf9x8PCh
— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) January 9, 2017
The tweet, which tags Theresa May and also flags a number of other dignitaries, including Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and others, notes reports of the British leader trying to “disrupt possible Russia-US thaw.”
The tweet is quickly ridiculed by hundreds online.
The ADL added the frog to its online hate database in September.
Images of Pepe, often depicting him in Nazi garb or with a Hitler-style mustache, are frequently included in anti-Semitic and other attacks on Twitter.
Last week, the Wendy’s fast-food chain faced criticism for tweeting a picture of Pepe tweaked to resemble the chain’s mascot, a red-haired, pig-tailed girl named Wendy. Wendy’s quickly removed the image
— JTA contributed
The Times of Israel Community.