Leaders in Broward County gathered Monday to denounce recent acts of hatred towards the Jewish and Black communities in Weston and other parts of South Florida.
Their message is simple: there is no room in Weston or Broward County for this type of hatred. The officials also said they will not stay quiet after these recent attacks on the community.
“I want to be clear and concise here. There is no place and no space for antisemitism in Broward County,” said Broward County Mayor Michael Udine. “Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”
Mayor Udine's words come after residents in the Weston Hills woke up to antisemitic and racist vandalism on Sunday morning at a neighborhood park.
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Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony shared a message with NBC 6, which says in part: "Those individuals who wish to threaten, cause harm or evoke fear in our community will be arrested and charged to the letter of the law."
Monday morning, Rep. Debbie Wassermann Shultz held a press conference where she said the community must not stay quiet. She believes silence is the fuel for hatred.
“We must be relentless in our action against this hate, and all forms of hate,” she said. “Many of those who propagate antisemitic tropes and degrading dangerous stereotypes are more than just to be dismissed as graffiti vandals.”
Weston Mayor Margaret Brown has a similar stance. She says BSO is actively investigating this case.
The city says they are appalled at the hatred on display in the community through messages and graffiti on public property. Now, Mayor Brown has a message for whoever is responsible.
“Don’t be a coward," she said. “Please come out. You do this in the cloak of darkness, you have this ability to make antisemitic remarks, racial slurs. If you’re that brave to do that, in the cloak of darkness, come out in the daylight and show yourself.”
Rabbi Yisroel Spalter from the Chabad of Weston says using kindness is the way to fight this hatred.
“reach out to someone who may be alone, and needs a phone call from you,” he said. “If you’re Jewish, and you feel like you’re being targeted, be more Jewish. Show your Jewish pride.”
BSO is offering a $5,000 reward for information that can help them find who is responsible for this recent act of hatred.
If you know anything about what happened over the weekend in Weston Hills, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at (954)-493-TIPS.
