NORFOLK, Va. — The Liberty Veterans Association, a group dedicated to seeking justice for and honoring the memory of the 34 Sailors killed by a 1967 attack on the USS Liberty by the Israeli Defense Force, will not hold a reunion next year, its executive director tells WTKR News 3, due to blowback from this year's controversial slate of speakers.
The 58th annual event takes place this weekend at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside hotel around the anniversary of the attack, with another event scheduled at the VFW post 4809, home to one of the few memorials for the USS Liberty attack.
In the weeks leading up to the event, a list of controversial speakers, known for their alt-right beliefs and antisemitic and white nationalist rhetoric, circulated on social media.
Watch: Far-right speaker banned from Norfolk Sheraton USS Liberty reunion says he's still coming
Two of the names that drew reactions from the community are Stew Peters and Matt Wakulik. Both frequently express antisemitic views on social media and have talked about the USS Liberty in some of their posts.
LVA Executive Director Moe Shafer and USS Liberty attack survivor said the group didn’t know about this when the two were invited to speak. He admits no vetting was done, and said they were invited because they asked to speak.
But Shafer is disappointed that the focus of the event has been on the speakers instead of the Liberty tragedy.
“They’ve destroyed my personal life, they’ve destroyed my wife’s life, they’ve destroyed several other shipmates’ lives because it’s all we hear every day," Shafer said.
Watch: Speaker now banned from Norfolk VFW and Sheraton ahead of USS Liberty reunion
The June 8, 1967 attack — in which the IDF deployed fighter jets and torpedoes — killed dozens of crew members and wounded hundreds aboard the USS Liberty, a technical research ship, during the Six-Day War.
Israel apologized and maintains the attack was a mistake; they said they mistook the USS Liberty for an Egyptian ship.
The U.S. Naval history site on the USS Liberty attack reports that no evidence has surfaced that the attack was deliberate, though the LVA and others maintains it intentional.
Peters, who regularly streams live from X, initially said he would come but has since changed his mind. He was previously banned from speaking at the event by Marriott Bonvoy, which owns the Sheraton.
Some are concerned about potential violence the reunion weekend event could create — either from the alt-right speakers or their supporters. Norfolk resident Erik Leach is one of those. He’s also concerned that resources dedicated to nearby Harborfest could impact safety.
Watch: Parade of Sail to kick off 48th Harborfest in Downtown Norfolk
“Police are going to be spread kind of thin, and it also brings a lot of people into this community where you have individuals with hateful intentions who have a history of being violent and inciting violence and putting together an event and a rally that could go sideways," said Leach.
News 3 reached out to Peters Thursday after hearing he may no longer be banned from the hotel. He said he didn’t know if he was still banned or not.
"Because of the violence that you’re talking about. It’s going to be manufactured violence," Peters said when asked why he decided not to come.
Watch: Speaker backs out of controversial veteran event in Norfolk citing 'manufactured violence'
Shafer said as of Friday he was unsure if Wakulik would speak but said if he did he would be escorted out if he talks about anything other than the USS Liberty. Shafer also emphasized the association only takes issue with the Israeli Defense Force and does not hate the Jewish people.
“We’re just sailors who got shot while we were sunbathing by the country of Israel. We didn’t choose anything. We didn’t have a gun on our ship, okay? So for this to come out 58 years later is criminal," Shafer said.
Shafer added that, while a 2026 reunion will not take place, more vetting will be done for speakers for future events.
