Swastika on sign at West Bend farmers market
Sign on display at Washington County Republican Party's booth
Sign on display at Washington County Republican Party's booth
Sign on display at Washington County Republican Party's booth
There's outrage in West Bend after a swastika was displayed at the city's farmers market this weekend.
Now, the Downtown West Bend Association is considering banning political parties at future markets or enforcing strict signage rules.
The head of the association declined to speak on camera with WISN 12 News on Monday.
The mayor of West Bend, and the group responsible for the sign, responded to WISN 12 News on Sunday.
Photos WISN 12 News has obtained show the Washington County Republican Party's booth at the West Bend farmers market.
WISN 12 News has blurred the image of the swastika.
In a statement, the Washington County Republican Party chairman said the sign was "the idea of an over-zealous volunteer who was staffing the booth."
The chairman of the group went on to say it was an "ill-conceived attempt" to associate the Democratic Party with extremism and totalitarian regimes.
He said the sign was also done without his or the board's approval and is unacceptable in political discourse.
West Bend Mayor Christopher Jenkins told WISN 12 News he "was appalled by these symbols of hate being used for political reasons at our farmers market in downtown West Bend. Regardless of political differences, using this imagery is never appropriate nor representative of who we are as West Benders. We should be able to participate in political discourse without resorting to inappropriate content.
"I plan on evaluating our public policies for the farmers market with the Downtown Association, who hosts this event, to ensure that we can be a better and more welcoming community for all."
Sunset Sunday was the start of the Jewish new year of Rosh Hashanah, one of the most sacred holidays on the Jewish calendar.
Sunday afternoon, WISN 12 News spoke with a Milwaukee-area rabbi who said the best way to fight instances like this is with education.
"It will always go on, but the only right way to respond is with love, education, kindness. And sometimes good people are not educated properly on its use. The best response is to educate," said Rabbi Levi Stein, executive director of Friendship Circle.
In the photos, there are campaign signs for U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, Republican candidate for governor, Tim Michels and state Sen. Dewey Stroebel.
WISN 12 News has reached out to their campaigns and got a response from Johnson's, which said, "We don't condone any Nazi imagery and reject any association with the display."
Washington County Democrats, who also had a booth at the farmers market Saturday, said word and pictures started spreading, and the sign was removed within an hour of it being put out.
"Nazi imagery, the swastika has no place in civil political discourse. A whole lot of community members were hurt, fearful, angry about seeing that image in our farmers market. That is, of course, supposed to be a it is a great community, family oriented event," said Stephen Roberts ,of the Washington County Democratic Party.
Roberts told WISN 12 News he hopes the Republican Party holds the volunteer who made the sign accountable.
WISN 12 News spoke with Republican supporter Roman Faber who said he disagreed with the sign being at the farmer's market.
"I don't think it should be up, but it is freedom of speech. So I think it's very dumb to put it up. So I myself, personally, I, I go take it down for you," Faber said.
An emergency meeting with the downtown association will be held Wednesday to make a decision on what to allow at future farmers markets.
The Republican Party chair did not return WISN 12 News' phone calls or answer the door Monday at their downtown office.