February 1, 2010

Responding to anti-Semitic flyers found in areas of Park Slope, Brooklyn last week, local elected officials and religious leaders gathered at Congregation Beth Elohim today to decry this and other recent incidents in Brooklyn, and to stand united against hatred.

“There is no room for hate speech and intimidation against any group in our community,” said Councilmember Brad Lander who convened the press conference. “We are here today to speak out against these kind of anti-Semitic actions, and more importantly to show our united front against those who would try to divide us.

Also attending the conference were Representative Yvette Clarke, Assemblyman Jim Brennan, Councilman Steve Levin, Nazli Parvizi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, State Senator Daniel Squadron said.

The slips of paper with inflammatory remarks against Jews were found scattered across 6th Ave in Park Slope on Wednesday evening, and were immediately turned over to the 78th precinct, who submitted them to the NYPD hate crimes unit.

This is not the first time that such flyers have been found in Brooklyn. Similar notes turned up in Bay Ridge, Boerum Hill and Clinton Hill last fall, and in front of two synagogues in Brooklyn Heights in 2007.

“Brooklyn is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, “so it’s particularly disturbing that we are still seeing despicable incidents of intolerance such as the cowardly, anti-Semitic words of hate found in Park Slope. Brooklyn’s diversity is our strength, and ultimately there is more that unites us than divides us. So we must remain vigilant in condemning hatred and discrimination against anyone—not only in Park Slope and Brooklyn, but around the world.”

Showing their united support for the Park Slope Jewish community, local religious leaders from across faiths also joined the elected officials this afternoon.

The elected officials and the religious leaders pledged to work with the NYPD to find whomever is spreading these notes around their neighborhoods, and to ensure all people and places of worship around their district stay safe and protected.

(YWN Desk – NYC)