Dolly Parton's official Wikipedia page was vandalised with antisemitic content, including a swastika and the words 'Jew lover', just hours after the country music icon's death was announced. The offensive edits were reportedly made within one hour of her nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirming her passing.
Vandalism Details
According to The Jewish Chronicle, three offensive edits were made to the page, including replacing her photo with a swastika and altering her name to 'Jew lover'. Another section of the page was changed to include the phrase 'Adam Lanza Was A Hero', referring to the perpetrator of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting, where the youngest victim was Jewish six-year-old Noah Pozner.
The edits were reportedly reverted by Wikipedia's volunteer editors and automated content filters shortly after they were made.
Condemnation from Groups
A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said on social media: "This is depraved. Dolly Parton’s Wikipedia page was vandalised with a swastika and the words ‘Jew lover’ just hours after she died, we understand. These vile edits are no longer there, but the idea that someone would choose to exploit her death to spread antisemitic abuse is utterly despicable. It takes a truly warped mind to turn a moment of mourning into an outlet for hatred."
The European Jewish Association also condemned the act, stating: "Imagine the depth of hatred and antisemitism someone must harbor to respond to the heartbreaking news of Dolly Parton’s passing with this vile message. Adding a swastika, the unmistakable symbol of the Nazi regime, alongside the words 'Jew lover,' to her Wikipedia page, as if showing love or solidarity toward Jews were something worth condemnation."
Background on Parton's Death
Dolly Parton died at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville following a "brief battle with cancer". In a statement announcing her death, her nephew Bryan Seaver said: "Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens. I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid, getting a taste of the road life in the 1980s. By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly. Aunt Granny. Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you."
