Antisemitism Watch

Woman Assaulted in Berlin Amid Rising Antisemitism
Pink Responds to Macklemore's "Free Palestine" Rhetoric; Met Museum Cancels Galliano Honor
AIG Employee's Antisemitic Posts Spark Advertising Threat

🎧 Listen & Subscribe Here

Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

We begin today with a disturbing physical assault reported in Berlin. According to police, a 43-year-old woman wearing a Star of David necklace was attacked by two men in the early hours of Friday morning. As reported by the Berlin police, the assailants noticed her necklace, hurled antisemitic insults, and then assaulted her with a broken glass bottle. The woman attempted to defend herself and suffered cuts to her hand, requiring hospital treatment. The suspects fled the scene, and no arrests have yet been made. The investigation has been taken up by the Berlin Criminal Police’s State Security Division. This incident is part of a concerning trend; Berlin authorities recorded 2,268 antisemitic offenses in 2025, a rise of over 24 percent from the previous year, with 64 classified as violent offenses. Police have not provided further details on the suspects or the victim's current condition, but a prosecutor’s representative warned that such attacks harm not only victims but also the broader sense of security within the city's Jewish community.

Turning now to rhetoric and public discourse, pop singer Pink has spoken out about the challenges of defending Jewish people. As detailed by reporting reviewed for this episode, Pink shared a post on Instagram criticizing rapper Macklemore's recent performance. During concerts on September 4th and 5th, Macklemore called to “Free Palestine” and accused Israel of committing genocide, accompanied by footage from the war in Gaza. Pink, who identifies as Jewish, stated that she was “scared” by his comments. She clarified her position, affirming that Hamas is a terrorist organization, Palestinians deserve a future, and innocent life must be protected everywhere. She also referenced a past incident where Macklemore wore an antisemitic costume, noting that while he apologized then, his recent actions felt different. Pink described standing up for her own people as “lonelier than that.”

In a separate development highlighting institutional responses to past antisemitism, the Metropolitan Museum of Art canceled a planned exhibition and gala honoring fashion designer John Galliano. As reported, Galliano was convicted of hate crimes in France in 2011 for antisemitic and racist tirades, including making remarks like “I love Hitler” and calling someone a “fucking Jewish bitch.” The decision to honor him sparked immediate backlash from New York politicians, including Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander and Assemblyman Micah Lasher, who called it a “terrible idea.” The speaker of the New York City Council and prominent donors also pressured the Met. The museum formally nixed the exhibition after intense scrutiny. Galliano had previously engaged in an apology and educational process with Jewish leaders following his conviction.

Finally, a recent opinion piece contrasts the Republican Party's direct condemnation of figures like David Duke with the Democratic Party's handling of antisemitic statements from streamer Hasan Piker. Piker, who has millions of followers and has appeared with prominent Democrats, made remarks such as calling Israel “the Jewish ISIS” and Hamas “1,000 times better than Israel.” While some Democratic leaders, including House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, condemned antisemitism and statements blaming American Jews, they often avoided naming Piker. The article points to a perceived difference in political accountability, with Republicans confronting controversial figures directly, while Democrats have been criticized for more indirect responses, potentially due to Piker's influence among a younger, progressive base.

In corporate news, an antisemitism controversy has emerged involving AIG. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, an employee of AIG posted antisemitic remarks online, leading to a threat to withdraw advertising from the media outlet Newstalk. AIG has declined to comment on the response from its Irish management to this situation.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast app so you don’t miss the next update.
This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-wearing-star-of-david-attacked-by-men-hurling-antisemitic-insults-in-berlin/
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908445
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-expects-intense-protests-during-netanyahu-un-trip-as-mamdani-calls-for-rallies/
- nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2026/09/12/us-news/pink-hits-back-amid-backlash-for-criticizing-macklemores-anti-israel-concert-rant/
- newyorker.com: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/critics-notebook/what-the-mets-john-galliano-reversal-reveals
- usatoday.com: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/09/13/jd-vance-tucker-carlson-antisemitic-comments/91663711007/
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/pink-says-standing-up-for-jews-has-been-lonelier-than-she-expected/
- dailysignal.com: https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/09/13/the-david-duke-standard-the-hasan-piker-exception/
- independent.ie: https://www.independent.ie/business/irish-business/aig-refuses-to-say-if-it-is-satisfied-by-irish-management-response-to-antisemitic-posts-crisis/a/161288328.html