Several anti-Semitic fliers were found in a neighborhood near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) on March 31.
UCSB student senator Gabriella Shofet posted a picture of the flier to her Facebook page that same day, which reads: “Jews worship the Devil. Jews RAPE KIDS. The Holocaust is a LIE.”
Shofet said “this is what anti-Semitism looks like. In 2019. A block away from my apartment. My heart aches.”
Students Supporting Israel (SSI) at UCSB shared Shofet’s post on their Facebook page, writing: “Posted on windshields across Del Playa in Isla Vista. It’s 2019 and anti-Semitism is alive, even in our communities.”
Cyndi Silverman, director of the Santa Barbara Anti-Defamation League, told the Journal in a phone interview that the fliers were found in an area where Jewish UCSB students reside.
“We’re really concerned,” said Silverman. “Santa Barbara Tri-County has just been a hotbed; we’ve had so many anti-Semitic incidents over the last two years.”
Santa Barbara Hillel posted on its Facebook page that the flyers “were discovered on a number of parked cars in Isla Vista, as well as in some mailboxes.”
“Santa Barbara Hillel condemns this anti-Semitic crime,” the post stated. “We are coordinating closely with law enforcement to ensure everyone’s safety. Chancellor [Henry] Yang and top UCSB administration take this seriously, and are working with us to investigate and respond. Santa Barbara Hillel is here at all times to support students, and we encourage anyone affected by this to take appropriate action.”
Hillel also encouraged anyone with information about the fliers to contact the UCSB Police Department at (805) 893-3446 or the Isla Vista Foot Patrol at (805) 683-2724.
Andrea Estrada, director of News and Media Relations at UCSB, told the Journal in an email: “We are aware of reports of fliers off campus that contain hateful language. We support our local law enforcement’s efforts to investigate them, and we encourage our students to report any incidents of bias on campus or off.”
This article was originally published in the Jewish Journal.
