Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) had high praise for NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio following an announcement that New York City will be removing the monument to a Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain.
The mayor’s office Tweeted the following: “After the violent events in Charlottesville, New York City will conduct a 90-day review of all symbols of hate on city property. The commemoration for Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain in the Canyon of Heroes will be one of the first we remove.”
Assemblyman Hikind, who brought awareness of the Petain monument directly to the mayor, applauded the mayor’s actions. “We are confronted every day with bigotry and divisiveness,” said Hikind. “New Yorkers have an obligation to say, ‘Not in our city.’ It’s time to remove all of New York City’s monuments and markers that glorify bigotry and strengthen that which perpetuates these ignorant beliefs. I applaud our mayor, as I know all of New York will, for taking quick action on this important matter.”
In May, Assemblyman Hikind turned attention on the markers commemorating French Vichy Leaders Marshal Philippe Pétain and Pierre Laval. The granite markers are located on Morris and Broadway in the Wall Street area’s “Canyon of Heroes.” Laval helped the Nazis arrest thousands of Jews for Deportation to their deaths. After the war, he was executed for his war crimes.
Pétain’s anti-Semitic policies were even harsher than what the Germans had adopted. His policies banned Jews from various professions and activities, which eventually led to the deportation and murder of nearly 100,000 Jews, as well as Gypsies, homosexuals, and left-wing activists. Pétain was convicted of treason in 1945. He was sentenced to death by firing squad but France’s President Charles de Gaulle commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.
The commemoration for Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain in the Canyon of Heroes will be one of the first we remove. https://t.co/hAnGmkCdtg
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) August 16, 2017
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3 Responses
PLEASE WHEN WRITING AN ARTICLE ” FEER OIS”or explain what’s going on.New York never put up any memorial to Petain as a Nazi.The problem was that he was a WW1 hero(as I believe Laval was as well),that is why his sentence was commuted and that is the subject of the memorial to him.Yes,it was actually even more important to take that memorial down and show that evil is not condoned even from former heroes.Nonetheless we must understand that New York was not trying to memorialize petain’s evil.
Although I know and respect you Dov, DeBlasio has been the worst Mayor on the history of NY. His ultra left wing philosophies will and are having a detrimental effect on the city, its economy, morality, ethics and tax system that will ultimately destroy the city as we know it. For various “good reasons” We don’t like Petain. But attempting to erase history and its monuments, has never, throughout history, been a good thing. Perhaps adding a caption as to how terrible he was to his statue would be smarter. DeBlasios reasoning plays into his left wing, shut down the opposition, anti constitution philosophy. That is not what we stand for.
Nor is it right or. It promotes the worst form of fascism. And follows the left wing style of simply erasing that which you don’t agree with.
I think Lee Avenue in Williamsburg should be renamed Ben Gurion Avenue.