Synagogue shootings is a sign authorities should work social media platforms, says former Jewish community leader

Former Jewish community leader Gregg Roman said Tuesday that the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last week is a sign authorities should team up with social media platforms to prevent future attacks. 

“If anything this is clarity and call for local, state, and federal authorities to work closer with platforms like Twitter, like Facebook, and also these alternative fringe channels like 4Chan and Gab,” Roman, former director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Pittsburgh, told Hill.TV co-hosts Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball on “Rising.”

“I’m an ardent believer in the First Amendment, but platforms should not serve as a center for hate or encourage them to go forward like Gab did on Saturday where they were tweeting out five hours after the attack ‘we’re having a million visitors per hour. This is the most traffic we’ve ever had.’ They shouldn’t be proud of that,” he continued. 

Eleven worshippers were killed in the shooting on Saturday, which the Anti-Defamation League said is the worst anti-semitic attack in the history of the U.S. 

Robert Bowers, the only suspect in the shooting was arrested on the scene. 

His social media accounts showed a number of anti-Semitic posts and he reportedly said he wanted to kill Jews when he was arrested.

A study released on Friday by the Anti-Defamation League before the shooting found an increase in anti-Semitic images and other posts on Twitter and Instagram over the past year. 

— Julia Manchester