Occupy protests have Jewish leaders concerned

"I think the Zionist Jews who are running these big banks and our Federal Reserve, that is not run by the federal government, they need to be run out of this country," said one protester.

As Occupy Wall Street nears the six-week mark, a vein of anti-Semitism flowing through the movement has reached Chicago. Jewish leaders say they are concerned.

This is the ugly underbelly of Occupy Wall Street: Recycled anti-Jewish prejudices from small but vocal segments of the movement whose hatred on the picket lines is being magnified on the Internet.

Now, anti-Semitic sign bearers and speakers who have latched onto the Occupy demonstrations have Jewish leaders in Chicago concerned.

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In a speech posted on YouTube, Palestinian activist Hatem Abudayeh spoke about destroying Israel during an Occupy Chicago rally in early October.

Abudayeh is currently among two dozen targets of a federal grand jury looking into allegations that they have raised funds for foreign terrorists.

Wednesday, as protesters began to line up outside Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office, a large Palestinian flag led the way. Emanuel, the city's first Jewish mayor, did not respond to the I-Team's request concerning anti-Semitism within the Occupy movement.

"It's an age old canard that really has damaging effects, not only the Jewish community but the community at large," said Nasatir. "And we believe those types of nefarious stereotypes can only lead to bad things."


ABC