FBI account ‘regrets’ distress caused by Protocols of Elders of Zion tweet
The Twitter handle regularly publishes declassified archival documents in response to Freedom of Information Act requests
An official FBI Twitter account has expressed “regret” after it posted a link to the bureau’s documents on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
The link, shared automatically from the FBI Records Vault Twitter handle on Wednesday, contained copies of the notorious forged antisemitic tract purporting to describe a Jewish plot to achieve world domination, as well as additional material about it, including letters to former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover.
The account, which counts 80.4K followers, regularly publishes declassified archival files in response to Freedom of Information Act requests.
The accompanying tweet, which simply read “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, did not offer any contextual information, sparking criticism among online users and thousands of retweets and comments.
A statement published by the account on Wednesday read: “Earlier today FOIA materials were posted to the FBI’s Vault and FOIA Twitter account via an automated process without further outlining the context of the documents.
“We regret that this release may have inadvertently caused distress among the communities we serve.”
The Anti-Defamation League said in a statement on Wednesday that while “there is no reason to think that the FBI shared this material out of malice or due to antisemitic animus, it is concerning that the FBI’s twitter account did not clarify in the tweet that the digitised file was of historical interest, and released the file without any additional context or description of this work as virulently antisemitic.”
The organisation said it received reports from many in the American Jewish community “who are hurt by the irresponsible way this document was released.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
