A Whitefish woman is suing the publisher of a neo-Nazi website for orchestrating an online anti-Semitic campaign against her family.
Tanya Gersh says Andrew Anglin used his Daily Stormer website, which uses a mailing address in Worthington, Ohio, to encourage readers to target her family with a barrage of online harassment:
"We received hundreds and hundreds of communications saying, 'Die Jew, die. You should have died in the holocaust with the rest of your people, or, we’re going to bring you to the brink of suicide. This is how we can keep the holocaust alive forever. We can kill you without touching you.'"
Anglin’s posts accused Gersh and other Jewish residents of Whitefish of engaging in an "extortion racket" against the mother of white nationalist Richard Spencer, who has a home there.
Gersh denies the accusation.
She's represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center which monitors hate groups.
SPLC President Richard Cohen is one of Gersh’s attorneys:
"We’ve raised three claims: a claim under the Montana anti-intimidation act, a claim for the intentional infliction of emotional distress and a claim for the invasion of her privacy and seclusion."
Cohen says these kind of troll campaigns must end:
"Look, in the old days the Klan would have burned a cross on Tanya’s lawn to intimidate her. Today, white supremacists have different tactics. And a troll-storm is one of the weapons of choice."
Gersh’s suit was filed Tuesday in Missoula District Court.