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Group behind racist, antisemitic billboards in Michigan used 'deceptive tactics', company says

By Jack Nissen
Published  April 24, 2024 9:36am EDT
Michigan
FOX 2 Detroit

(FOX 2) - The group behind three racist, antisemitic billboards that appeared along Michigan highways over the weekend used "silhouetted images, acronyms, and other deceptive tactics" to get them approved, the company that runs the signage said.

On April 20, the group White Lives Matter Michigan shared on the social media platform X different images of billboards that celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday, as well as other racist imagery. 

"White Lives Matter Michigan permeated censorship to obtain three roadside billboards throughout Southeastern Michigan to dog-whistle morale boosting messages to pro-Whites for this 4/20 Day of Action!" it wrote on X. 

The signage has since been removed and the company Billboard4Me apologized for the error, adding it has implemented stronger safe guards for screening billboard ads that come through their system.

"We will be adding another set of human eyes to inspect all ads. We will search all names, photos, dates, and abbreviations to ensure no hidden agendas are being promoted in the ads," it wrote in a statement to FOX 2. 

"We recognize that we made a huge mistake by not catching these hidden messages before they were posted and sincerely apologize to the communities in Michigan and everyone who had to see them. We pledge to do everything we can so that something like this never happens again."

The racist signage is the latest instance of antisemitism that has been reported in Michigan. The Anti-Defamation League announced earlier in April that incidents are up 138% from its previous record.

Michigan has the eighth-highest number of incidents in the U.S., the ADL said, adding it was fueled by October attack on Israel last year. 

"It’s alarming to see the exponential growth of antisemitic incidents in our state and nationwide," said Carolyn Normandin, Regional Director of ADL Michigan. "It’s absolutely terrifying to know the majority of incidents followed the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust."