The Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI) of the United States published a link on its Twitter account to the “Protocols of the elders of Zion” posted on its website and was sharply criticized in social networks. Attention was drawn to this by the Daily Mail.
A link to the anti-Semitic 139-page document, which was previously posted on the website of the FBI electronic library, appeared on the Bureau’s Twitter page on the evening of Wednesday, August 19. At the same time, it was not accompanied by any comments from the Department condemning the statements contained in the “Protocols” and emphasizing the unacceptability of anti-Semitic views. Because of this, the publication caused dissatisfaction among many users of social networks. In particular, it seemed to some that by posting such materials without any notes, the FBI actually contributes to the spread of anti-Jewish sentiment in society and makes them additional advertising.
«Unbelievably. At a time when anti — Semitic attacks are becoming more and more…” one Twitter user protested. “The civil service account shared the most anti-Semitic document in history,” another complained. Also, the publication of the FBI was condemned in the state Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where they noted that it is unacceptable to place such documents outside of any context.
The FBI later deleted the post and apologized to anyone it might have offended. As stated in the Department, the publication was made via a bot, so it was not accompanied by any comments.
The protocols of the sages of Zion is a collection of texts, presumably compiled in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, describing the plan of the Jews to conquer the world. The distribution of books with these texts, in particular, was facilitated by the American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford, who financed the release of about 500 thousand copies of the collection. Later, the Protocols of the elders of Zion were used by propagandists in Nazi Germany to increase the level of hatred of Jews in German society.
Historians consider the “Protocols” a hoax, and conspiracy theorists believe that the texts are authentic. In Russia, the Protocols of the elders of Zion are included in the Federal list of extremist materials.
