The daughter of Redmond mayor Angela Birney has sparked controversy after a video of her tearing down flyers showing Israelis taken hostage by Hamas went viral. Commenters are calling for her removal from college, and USC has vowed to investigate. The mayor has remained silent on the matter.
MyNorthwest.com reported
Redmond mayor Angela Birney’s adult daughter, Rachel Birney, has sparked controversy after being recorded tearing down flyers showing Israelis taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. The video quickly went viral, drawing criticism from viewers who demanded that Rachel be removed from college. In response to the incident, Mayor Birney has remained silent and turned her social media account to private to avoid further scrutiny.
The viral video captures Rachel tearing down multiple flyers from a building’s announcement wall at the University of Southern California (USC). When asked why she is taking them down, Rachel responds with mumbled words, mentioning “genocide.” However, the man filming corrects her, stating that the individuals on the flyers are actually kidnapped, not victims of genocide. Throughout the video, Rachel can be seen giggling, a behavior that the man filming finds inappropriate and unfunny.
Rachel Birney’s identity as the mayor’s daughter was confirmed by StopAntisemitism, a nonpartisan watchdog organization that exposes individuals and groups spreading anti-Jewish and anti-Israel hate. USC has released a statement promising to investigate the incident and urging the campus community to respect differing views and engage in civil discourse.
Despite multiple requests for comment, Mayor Birney has chosen not to address the situation. It is worth noting that she had warned her colleagues about the possibility of the video going viral, suggesting that she was aware of the incident beforehand. Faced with public criticism, the mayor has made her social media account private, leading to further scrutiny and questions from users on her public Facebook page. Many users are questioning how her daughter developed such hateful views and accusing the mayor of raising an antisemitic child.
While it remains unclear if the local media will cover this incident, similar incidents of individuals tearing down flyers related to Israel have been recorded across the country. These confrontations have often gone viral, exposing the deep-rooted hatred and prejudice against Jews. Critics of Israel have accused the country of committing genocide in Gaza, leading to the tearing down of posters depicting hostages, falsely claiming it to be propaganda. This behavior has been criticized by Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Avi Mayer, who argues that those tearing down these posters refuse to acknowledge Jewish victimhood and consistently view Jews as aggressors.
In conclusion, the viral video of Rachel Birney tearing down flyers has ignited a debate surrounding antisemitism and the influence of upbringing on an individual’s beliefs. The mayor’s silence and decision to make her social media account private have only added fuel to the fire, with calls for her to address the incident and take responsibility for her daughter’s actions..