- Neo-Nazis heckled theatergoers outside of the debut of "Parade" on Broadway Tuesday.
- They reportedly called people slurs and spread false pedophilia rumors about the play's real-life inspiration.
Neo-Nazis protested outside a Broadway play about antisemitism in New York City, calling theatergoers slurs and insulting the real-life man the show is based on as a pedophile.
Members of the National Socialist Movement — which the Southern Poverty Law Center says spreads "violent antisemitic rhetoric" — handed out propaganda-filled flyers to theatergoers waiting in line to see the first preview of "Parade" at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York City Tuesday night.
"Parade," starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, tells the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1913 and later kidnapped from prison and lynched.
The neo-Nazi hate group set up camp outside the theater, which would later house a sold-out show, and spread false claims that Frank was a pedophile.
"You're paying 300 bucks to go fucking worship a pedophile," one man wearing a mask over his face said to the people lined up outside the theater, according to a video posted to Twitter by Jake Wasserman, the engagement editor for The Forward.
A second man can be seen and heard shouting at the line of theatergoers from the street nearby.
—Jake Wasserman (@jacobhwasserman) February 22, 2023
In addition to their chants, the group handed out flyers to people in line featuring the SS logo and the Empire State Stormers' "purpose."
—Talia Escobedo (@taliaescbdo) February 22, 2023
One theatergoer called Tuesday night's events "chaotic, heartbreaking ... and a little scary," but added that the theater "felt more like a house of worship than ever before," in a Facebook post following the show.
"Our audience stared the hate that the musical condemns square in the eye before curtain. We saw the Nazis ... making fools of themselves spewing falsities and displaying/attempting to distribute garish propaganda… misspelling Leo Frank's name among other evidence of poor research and stupidity," Jaime Lee said on Facebook.
Lee called the neo-Nazis "pathetic little boys" who called her a slur when she spoke up.
She added that the show's director, Michael Arden, "spoke briefly before the show began and emphasized that what happened is all the more reason why this show needs to be performed and shared and talked about."
Another audience member, Jules Louise, said on Facebook, "To witness this hateful act immediately prior to this STUNNINGLY powerful show is heartbreaking to say the very least. Meeting this world with love instead of hate is not a difficult task, yet somehow this is all too common, even now."
The New York Police Department told Insider that no arrests were made in connection with Tuesday's demonstration.
The producers of "Parade" put out a statement condemning the hate and antisemitism brought to the theater by the neo-Nazi group.
"If there is any remaining doubt out there about the urgency of telling this story in this moment in history, the vileness on display in front of our theater last night should put it to rest," the statement said. "We stand by the valiant Broadway cast that brings this vital story to life each night."
Platt posted a video to Instagram late Tuesday following the performance condemning "the really ugly actions of a few people who are spreading evil."
"I got off stage and was looking at social media naturally the news of the fact that there were some protestors at our show has spread a lot and that's kind of the stamp on the evening in terms of the public perception of the evening and definitely an important thing to hear about," Platt said in the video.
He went on to explain that neo-Nazi protestors "from a really disgusting group" were bothering audience members outside of the theater and "saying antisemitic things about Leo Frank who the show is about and just spreading antisemitic rhetoric that led to this whole story in the first place."
Platt continued: "It was definitely very ugly and scary but a wonderful reminder of why we're telling this particular story."
The hateful protest is the latest evidence of a recent surge in antisemitism in America.
According to a survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee, 69% of American adults were the target of online antisemitism or saw evidence of antisemitism online at least once. Additionally, more than 80% of American adults think antisemitism in the country has increased over the last five years.