Allegheny County community outraged by swastika on neighborhood flag

ETNA, Pa. — People who live in Etna say they are disturbed and disgusted by a flag with a swastika that is flying on one of their neighbor’s porches.

“What are you doing with your life, what are you doing? Get a life!,” neighbor Jay Howard told Channel 11.

Channel 11 does not air hate symbols on television, which is why we didn’t show you the swastika on TV.

“I was like ‘Oh my God.’ I was shocked. It looks like it was handmade with stitching. You can see he did it himself,” Howard said.

Howard is a part of the LGBTQ community, and is not only stunned by the flag flying, but is also concerned.

“It was a mix of shock, rage and just kind of low-key fear, knowing that this guy is pretty close to me, is he going to do something?,” she said.

Channel 11 went to the home in Etna to talk to Richard McCluskey about his motive for flying the flag.

He told a bizarre story about a neighborhood dispute regarding a raccoon, which is what prompted him to make the flag and hang it up.

“I don’t hate nobody. It’s a freedom of speech, like a right to bear arms in the Constitution of the United States,” McCluskey said.

Etna’s police chief told Channel 11 that he spoke to the district attorney and the U.S. Attorney, and they said because McCluskey isn’t making any threatening remarks, flying the flag is protected by his First Amendment rights.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League, a swastika is widely accepted as a hate symbol.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh sent this statement:

“Many community members have recently become aware of an individual displaying a Nazi flag. The Jewish Federation has been addressing this situation for several months. This display is sadly part of a pattern of rising antisemitism in our area and around the world. Antisemitism has no place in Pittsburgh or anywhere, and Jewish Federation has been working harder than ever to combat antisemitism and to engage community leaders to help in this effort. Community members should continue to report anti-Semitic incidents or displays to the Federation’s Jewish Community Security team at jewishpgh.org/security so that we can continue to coordinate effectively with first responders and community leaders.”

In an effort to bring the community together, Etna Community Organization has a GoFundMe page to raise money for “Etna is for Everyone” yard signs.

Pennsylvania State Police warn of new scam involving popular bank payment app