A Rhode Island bar has apologized for mocking Anne Frank’s death by posting an anti-Semitic meme on its Facebook page Friday that compared hot weather in the area to concentration camp ovens.
Referencing a heatwave rolling through New England, The Atlantic Sports Bar and Restaurant in Tiverton shared a black and white picture of the diarist who was killed by the Nazis in 1945.
“It’s hotter than an oven out there…and I should know,” read the accompanying text.
The bar was immediately slammed with angry comments, with some demanding a boycott of the business.
“Wow a racist pit,” Facebook user Amy Ann wrote on the restaurant’s page, according to Newsweek. “Don’t patronize until they apologize.”
“It’s disgusting, horrific, and you need to actually apologize to start,” wrote another irate poster. “And then again and again and again. I can’t get my head around who would make the meme or share it. Shame on you.”
The meme was quickly deleted and the owners waited more than a day before issuing a formal apology in the wake of the backlash.
“There is no excuse for the sharing of this post, and there is nothing we can do to rectify it, all we can do now is offer our deepest apology to those who were rightfully hurt by our actions,” the eatery wrote on its Facebook page. “The Atlantic Restaurant prides itself on being a tolerant, inclusive, and safe space for all people.”
Robert Trestan, a regional Anti-Defamation League regional director, ripped the business in a statement to the outlet.
“There is simply no excuse for posting a vile antisemitic message like this,” he said. “Management and ownership should immediately educate themselves about the history of the Holocaust and stop the perpetuation of harm.”
As of Tuesday, the restaurant’s Facebook page was inactive.