The San Francisco Bay Area grappled with the distribution of antisemitic flyers last week in Napa and Petaluma, leading to reviews by law enforcement if any criminal violations occurred.Napa Police Department chief Jennifer Gonzales and Napa District Attorney Allison Haley said in a joint statement on Tuesday that they were “deeply troubled” by the flyers and that the police were attempting to determine if the incident constituted a hate crime or hate incident.Haley and Gonzales explained that while a hate crime constitutes an assault, vandalism, or a threat motivated by hate against certain characteristics, hate incidents may be actions motivated by the same factors but are characterized instead as acts of constitutionally protected freedom of speech – and thereby do not rise to the level of criminal offenses.
"These acts of hatred and intolerance have no place in our community, and our Offices would like to extend their heartfelt compassion and empathy to our Jewish community members who have been affected by this reprehensible behavior," said Haley and Gonzales. "Regardless of the classification of this incident, our community must stand united against all forms of hate and bigotry."
Both stated that, besides the pursuit of any legal avenues available, each of them also called for enhanced penalties for hate crimes and the provision of more victim support, school education, and community engagement programs.
Police react to the flyers
Petaluma Police said that they were saddened by the flyers and members of an “antisemitic group” holding a banner over an overpass twice last Sunday. The first banner incident saw members voluntarily agreeing to leave, but later that night, officers responded to another incident but determined that there were no criminal violations to address.“These acts of hate are not consistent with or reflective of our shared values of respect, inclusivity, diversity, and belonging,” said the police, noting that it was collaborating with regional law enforcement to ascertain if the flyers and banners consisted of protected speech or criminal violations.“The hate-related materials targeted the Jewish community but did not mention any specific community members, locations, or organizations,” said the police.In October, Petaluma saw the distribution of antisemitic flyers and the disruption of the October 2 City Council virtual public comment period with antisemitic, racist, and homophobic statements. The city had suspended Zoom participation at the City Council meetings and, on October 16, introduced a resolution condemning hate speech, racism, and acts of extremism.