The cruel recollections of a Holocaust survivor spurred John Placek to remove a swastika from a controversial message on his electronic billboard in Summit Township. The symbol is blurred in this photo taken last week before its removal. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

The cruel recollections of a Holocaust survivor spurred John Placek to remove a swastika from a controversial message on his electronic billboard.

Placek, who Monday began displaying messages that some find offensive on his new billboard, said a friend called and reported that a Holocaust survivor told him the swastika displayed on the message was upsetting to her.

The billboard is along Route 422 in Summit Township.

The symbol, which was the official emblem of the Nazi Party during World War II, was pictured beside the message “FBI corrupt & dangerous THE GESTAPO.”

Placek said earlier this week he wrote that message in reaction to the arrest of a Philadelphia man who was jailed for protesting outside an abortion clinic, compared to those who were not arrested during the Black Lives Matter protests.

But when he heard the symbol was upsetting a Holocaust survivor, he removed it immediately.

“I understand that was a horrific time in their life, so out of respect for her, I took it down,” Placek said.

He said nothing else was removed from the messages, which he said will change weekly.

Subscribe to read more. If you are already a subscriber, click to link below to read the full article.