The Huntington Town Board on Friday condemned an anti-Semitic flyer that was delivered to a Huntington woman earllier this week.
The flyer, from a group called the Goyim Defense League, mixed political slogans with anti-Semitic tropes, labeling photos of members of President Biden’s Cabiniet with Israeli flags and adding, “every single aspect of the Biden administration is Jewish.”
The resident who received the flyer on Tuesday reported it to Suffolk County police and her rabbi, who contacted the town’s anti-bias task force.
A statement from the town said that the flyer promoted a webpage, which it said had been removed from most social media sites because of its anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories and denial of the Holocaust, as well as other national and international incidents.
“Although we’re sickened by the flyer, it was heartening to see the system work so well with the town board, committees and police coming together,” Councilman Dr. Dave Bennardo said. All members of the Town Board signed off on the town statement condemning the flyer.
Dr. Eve Krief, a member of the town’s anti-bias committee, said, “The task force is very heartened by the Town’s swift response and condemnation of this hate incident. Similar flyers surfaced in other Long Island towns last summer and have appeared across the country. What is particularly disturbing about these flyers is their political nature because history has taught us that politicized hate is dangerous and can grow and spread if not addressed. Silence is complicity and we must stand against hate swiftly and strongly and stamp it down whenever and wherever it surfaces.”
“The Town Board supports our residents as well as the Huntington Anti-Bias task force, which is resolute in their contention that no member of our Huntington family should ever feel singled out or threatened due to their race, religion, gender, sexual identity, or political beliefs,” the Town Board said. “Huntington has no place for hate and we will stand in solidarity with any individual or group experiencing bias.”
The town also said that residents who feel targeted by bigotry should first call police at 631-852-COPS and can also notify the town by emailing the director of human resources Carmen Kasper ([email protected].)