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Billy Joel Wears Star of David Amidst Rising White Supremacist Tensions

New York native Billy Joel made a powerful, political statement Monday night (Aug. 21) when he donned a yellow Star of David on the lapel and back of his jacket during the encore of his concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

While the singer previously told Rolling Stone back in June that he prefers to stay away from political commentary, it seems Joel has changed his mind due to the rise in neo-Nazi sympathizers, supporters and national “Unite The Right” rallies. In Nazi Germany, Jews were forced to wear a yellow Star of David on their outer clothing to help public officials and non-Jewish citizens identify who was “Jude” and who was not. Jews wore these stars prior and post “Kristallnacht,” or “the night of broken glass,” which is now known as the start of Nazi concentration camps and Hitler’s extermination of 6 million Jews.

Joel wearing the symbol comes less than a week after the deadly White Nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left three dead, and Donald Trump’s controversial remarks following.

Billy Joel Wears Star of David Amidst Rising White Supremacist Tensions

This article originally appeared on Billboard.