A prominent social media conspiracy theorist with over 750,000 followers faced swift backlash and factual correction after posting misleading claims about the Jewish holiday of Chanukah on X (formerly Twitter).
Stew Peters, a controversial figure known for promoting far-right conspiracy theories, falsely claimed that Chanukah was a 20th-century invention created to appease Jewish children during the Christmas season. The platform's Community Notes feature quickly added a correction, citing historical evidence of Chanukah celebrations dating back to 164 BCE.
"Historical records clearly document Chanukah celebrations from antiquity," the fact-check noted, providing links to ancient texts including the Megillah and Mishnah that reference the holiday.
Rabbi Yaakov Menken, Managing Director of the Coalition for Jewish Values, responded to Peters' post by sharing an image of a 14th-century menorah. "Welcome to X, where a racist imbecile can have 750,000 followers," Menken wrote. "That means 750,000 citizens of the world become a little bit less intelligent and more infected with mindless hate every time he posts."
Background on Peters:
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) identifies Peters as a "far-right conspiracy theorist, radio show host, Christian nationalist and prolific antisemite" who regularly promotes white supremacist views and Holocaust denial. He recently released a controversial film titled "Occupied," which pushes antisemitic conspiracy theories about "Jewish supremacy."
In an ironic twist, historians note that while Peters attempts to delegitimize Chanukah, Christmas celebrations actually have documented roots in ancient pagan festivals.
Peters made headlines earlier this month after reportedly being arrested for DWI in Minnesota following an ATV accident.
VINNews contributed to this article.
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