MILWAUKEE — A new Pro-Palestinian mural in Milwaukee is causing controversy.
The painting was discovered Wednesday on a building near the intersection of Holton and Locust in the Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood. Within 24 hours of it being discovered, someone spray painted black paint to cover part of it.
The mural featured a Star of David—recognized as a symbol of both Jewish identity and Judaism - blended with the Swastika—a symbol associated with the German Nazi Party during World War II. In the background are images from the war in Gaza. The mural reads, “The Irony of Becoming What You Once Hated.”
Ihsan Atta owns the building and commissioned the mural. He said he wanted it to get noticed and indicated that the vandalism to it helped his effort in raising awareness.
“I actually appreciate that they did that because it only brought more attention to it, which in turn will bring more attention to the genocide that’s going on in Gaza,” said Atta, who does not believe the mural targets the local Jewish population.
“The Star of David is on the flag of a regime that is openly telling us that they are going to commit a genocide by banning all food, by banning all water, any medical equipment, and turning Gaza into a parking lot. And now they are trying to do it on the West Bank as well,” said Atta.
Miryam Rosenzweig, the President and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, said the mural represents just one of many instances of antisemitism this week, and she’s disgusted by it.
“This didn’t show the entire Israeli flag,” said Rosenzweig. “It only picked the Jewish symbol of it, and that’s how you know how rooted this is in targeting the Jews. There is no question that by adding the Swastika, that it is trying to tie it to a specific and uniquely painful Jewish experience.”
While Spectrum News was at the mural, a Jewish man came to see it in person. “The way I see it, it’s evil, and no one is talking about the over 100 hostages that haven’t been brought back. Let’s talk about why this is going on. You can’t be barbaric and expect no results from your behavior,” he told us.
From Atta’s perspective, the mural is a representation of what the Israeli government is doing in Gaza.
“For anyone that tries to conflate it with a religious symbol, it’s just individuals that don’t want to see awareness for what’s going on, the genocide that’s taking place,” he said. “Those same individuals that won’t condemn the genocide, won’t acknowledge it, and in fact are supporting it strong heartedly, because their allegiance is to a foreign apartheid regime and not the United States.”
He said they will re-paint the pro-Palestinian mural as many times as they need to, and he hopes the person who vandalized it is held accountable.
Read the full statement from the Milwaukee Jewish Federation: