Challenger’s attack on Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego called antisemitic

The man trying to unseat Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego this November posted a video casting her as demonic on Oct. 11, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, prompting claims of antisemitism.

Matt Evans, a 36-year-old software engineer, posted a video the morning of the first day of Yom Kippur showing Gallego, who is Jewish, with glowing purple eyes, devil horns and red flames.

The minute-long video starts with a clip of Gallego introducing herself as Kate “Widland,” her maiden name, then flashes through a series of videos and news clips cataloging controversies Gallego has faced as mayor.

In the background, CIL’s 2023 song “Devil In Your Eyes” is playing.

Evans then criticizes Gallego for not debating him. “You can hide behind your smile and you can hide behind your team of lawyers but I see right through you.”

Hours after the post, Councilman Carlos Galindo-Elvira, who is Jewish, rebuked Evans on social media for posting “one of the oldest #antisemitic tropes of Jews as the devil” hours before the start of Yom Kippur.

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