A mural commissioned by a Palestinian-American man in downtown Milwaukee has become the center of a heated controversy, drawing accusations of antisemitism and prompting acts of vandalism.
The mural, located at a prominent intersection, depicts a Star of David combined with a swastika, alongside images of destruction in Gaza and Palestinians in distress. It bears the caption: "The irony of becoming what you once hated."
Ihsan Atta, the building owner who commissioned the mural, defended it as political criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. "What's happening in Gaza is a Holocaust," Mr. Atta said, arguing that the use of the Star of David alongside the swastika was intended as commentary on Israeli policies, not an attack on Judaism.
Jewish community leaders have strongly condemned the mural. Miriam Rosenzweig, president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, called it a "vile and horrifying act of antisemitism" and "tantamount to Holocaust denial."
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson agreed that the mural is offensive. As reported by WISN, he said, "For me as a Black man, I would imagine, for folks of Jewish descent, it probably resembles the horrors of the Confederate flag. So it's troubling to see that sort of display. I would like to see the building owner take it down, absolutely."
The mural has been vandalized twice since its creation. After the first incident on Friday, it was quickly restored. A second act of vandalism over the weekend damaged approximately 75% of the artwork.
Mr. Atta initially vowed to create more such murals and launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $10,000 for additional artworks and security measures. However, the campaign was removed by the platform for violating its terms of use.
Additionally, at the nearby University of Milwaukee, the Jewish student organization Hillel reported an incident where pro-Palestinian activists distributed flyers accusing the organization of genocide in Gaza. Campus police were called to defuse a confrontation between activists and Jewish students and staff.The University of Milwaukee recently suspended the student organization Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) following a series of antisemitic incidents.
Local authorities have not taken action to remove the mural, as it is on private property. Jewish community leaders are calling on Milwaukee residents to stand against what they view as hate speech, while also acknowledging the limits of their legal recourse.
The mural replaced a painting of Breonna Taylor, which had been in place since 2020 as part of protests against police violence. Mr. Atta claims to have preserved the original Taylor painting with plans to display it elsewhere in the neighborhood.