  In $U(1)$ Abelian gauge theory coupled to fermions, the non-conservation of
the axial current due to the chiral anomaly is given by a dynamical operator
$F_{\mu\nu} \tilde{F}^{\mu\nu}$ constructed from the field-strength tensor. We
attempt to describe this physics in a universal manner by casting this operator
in terms of the 2-form current for the 1-form symmetry associated with magnetic
flux conservation. We construct a holographic dual with this symmetry breaking
pattern and study some aspects of finite temperature anomalous
magnetohydrodynamics. We explicitly calculate the charge susceptibility and the
axial charge relaxation rate as a function of temperature and magnetic field
and compare to recent lattice results. At small magnetic fields we find
agreement with elementary hydrodynamics weakly coupled to an electrodynamic
sector, but we find deviations at larger fields.
