MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - At least one South Florida community is on alert during Halloween, and it has to do with a recent surge in antisemitism. As tricker-or-treaters start to come out Tuesday night, there’s an extra layer of caution around opening doors to strangers, especially in Jewish neighborhoods.
All over South Florida, the hateful messages have become common. From a Miami man threatening to bomb a Jewish school to disturbing messages found in a neighborhood that read “I am Muslim and say kill all Jews.” Another message said “by Allah, free Gaza. Kill all Jews.”
Now, most recently, the hate was caught on camera at Bagel Time Cafe on Miami Beach.
A man in a yellow Mustang was seen running out of his car early Saturday morning to try and destroy this sign in front of the shop. Now taped up and still hanging strong, the sign said “Bagel Time proudly stands with Israel.”
The owner, Josh Nodel, doesn’t plan on that changing anytime soon.
“Once they realize that, you know, we’re not giving in to everybody to do when the vandalizing as the wish, is not acceptable,” he said. “Do do whatever you want to do your home your home, but don’t bring it out to the streets.”
But on the streets Halloween night, Aventura police posted a statement on the social media website X in regards to an image that warned the Jewish community that members of Hamas were planning on attacking Jews and their families during the holiday.
The photo also said “They’ll be dressed up and knock on every door that has a Mezuza on it and pretend to trick or treat.”
According to police, they said on X that the threat had no merit, but everyone should be safe and vigilant because it’s one more thing that is adding on to the spike of hatred locally and across the country.
“The hate crimes unit that I established about seven years ago, usually would average one or two a month, but since Oct. 7, which is about three weeks ago, we are now up to 12 cases already,” said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
Rundle wants to squash those numbers and is reminding those people that have hate in their hearts that those crimes will not go without punishment.
“No one in this community can commit a hate crime and think that they can walk away free, they can’t,” she said.
If you’d like to report a hate crime, call the Hate Hotline at 786-687-2566.
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