Democracy Dies in Darkness

Facebook removes Trump ads with symbol once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners

June 18, 2020 at 3:48 p.m. EDT
The red inverted triangle was used by the Nazis to designate political enemies in concentration camps. (Image from Facebook)

Facebook on Thursday deactivated dozens of ads placed by President Trump’s reelection campaign that included a symbol once used by the Nazis to designate political prisoners in concentration camps.

The marking appeared as part of the campaign’s online salvo against antifa and “far-left groups."

A red inverted triangle was used in the 1930s to identify Communists, and was applied as well to Social Democrats, liberals, Freemasons and other members of opposition parties incarcerated by the Nazis. The badge forced on Jewish political prisoners, by contrast, featured a yellow triangle overlaid by a red triangle so as to resemble a Star of David.