FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A troubling trend in South Florida and across the country has state and local leaders uniting against hate.
South Florida leaders and law enforcement said they stand strong against increased antisemitic activity and delivered a stern message to those who are thinking about spreading hate.
“We’re gonna find you, we’re gonna pursue you, we’re gonna vigorously prosecute you because there is no place for hate here in Broward County,” said Harold Pryor, Broward State Attorney.
Broward County officials, along with community and religious leaders, met to address a rise in antisemitism.
It comes after hate groups called for a national “Day of Hate” on Feb. 25.
“We very quickly decided that it was absolutely essential that we could not wait one minute or give any quarter to hate in our community,” said Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.
South Florida has seen a growing number of antisemitic incidents recently.
In January, hate flyers were found outside homes in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton.
And earlier this month, a man was arrested after officials said he hurled an antisemitic slur at a man and punched him in Dania Beach.
“We are united against the extremists and the white supremacists, that we stand together in this community and we will do whatever we can to push back and to make sure that haters understand in Broward County, and in South Florida, that the overwhelming majority of people who live here are people of love and people who will not tolerate hatred directed towards any community,” Wasserman-Schultz said.
The Broward state attorney’s office said they established a hate crimes unit in 2021 and a hate crimes hotline.
“If you see a hate crime being committed, if you hear something, please call our hotline, which is 954-831-8059,” Pryor said. “If you want to look us up on our website, you can report a hate crime incident if it occurs in your general area.”
Religious and community leaders are also urging people to take a stand against hate.
“The citizens should be aware and report anything they see and just respond with acts of goodness and kindness, and hopefully law enforcement will have now this green light to see this as a criminal activity and do what they need to do to put all this hate to bed once and for all,” said Pinny Andruiser, rabbi of Chabad of Southwest Broward.
If you want to report a potential hate crime, you can contact the Hate Crimes unit on the Broward County State Attorney’s website.
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