Hyatt, CPAC say Orlando stage isn’t a Nazi symbol
Both Hyatt and CPAC adamantly denied an internet suggestion that the stage at the Orlando conference was designed to resemble a Nazi symbol.
The stage at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, a diamond shape with bent extensions branching off to the sides, was said on Twitter to resemble an Odal rune, a symbol used on some Nazi uniforms.
Matt Schlapp, lead organizer of CPAC, wrote on Twitter on Saturday, “Stage design conspiracies are outrageous and slanderous. We have a long-standing commitment to the Jewish community. ... CPAC proudly stands with our Jewish allies, including those speaking from this stage.”
Schlapp also alluded to the conspiracy on stage, saying, “Don’t listen to the lies about this stage. It is very pretty.”
“We take the concern raised about the prospect of symbols of hate being included in the stage design at CPAC 2021 very seriously as all such symbols are abhorrent and unequivocally counter to our values as a company,’' the hotel chain said in a statement Sunday. “The CPAC 2021 event is hosted and managed by the American Conservative Union that manages all aspects of event logistics, including the stage design and aesthetics. We discussed directly with ACU leadership who told us that any resemblance to a symbol of hate is unintentional.’'
The conspiracy has exploded on Twitter, with “Hyatt Nazi” the third listed trending topic when searching the company on the social media network. The company was already facing boycott calls just for hosting CPAC, where speakers have repeated former President Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud.
Fred Guttenberg, a gun reform activist whose daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting in 2018, tweeted, “This Jew will never gain stay at a Hyatt property.”
