Antisemitic flyers distributed at Vallejo shopping center

VALLEJO – Antisemitic flyers were left on cars throughout Vallejo’s Gateway Plaza shopping center on Monday, the latest incident in what appears to be a pattern of distribution of antisemitic literature throughout the northern Bay Area.

Vallejo resident Pam Keith said that her husband found the flyers on his windshield Monday after visiting the City Sports Club gym, next to a Michael’s craft store and the Cinemark Century Vallejo. According to Keith, he said that the flyers were left on every car in the parking lot.

 "He knew that I would flip about it because I’m about justice and against that hate,” Keith said.

She sent photos of the flyers to elected officials, including Mayor Robert McConnell. She said that the mayor responded and said it was “terrible” and suggested she send them to the Anti-Defamation League. 

Keith also provided photos of the flyers to the Vallejo Sun. They include graphic images and accuse Jewish people of engaging in sex acts with children. They also reference a website which has numerous other templates of flyers with antisemitic allegations.

Vallejo police spokesperson Sgt. Rashad Hollis said Wednesday that he was not aware of any distribution of antisemitic flyers in Vallejo.

Vallejo was previously targeted for coordinated racist and antisemitic attacks during a City Council meeting in October, when numerous callers disguising their voices used the public comment period as a platform for racist and antisemitic statements. 

While it is unclear who is behind the flyers, the referenced website appears to be connected to recent distributions of flyers in Napa County. Descriptions of the flyers in local media reports from Napa match flyers on the website. 

For example, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that flyers distributed in Napa said that Jewish leaders are supposedly connected to gun control and “mass immigration.” The Napa Valley Register reported that some flyers distributed included headlines such as "EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THE MEDIA IS JEWISH."

According to the Huffington Post, such flyers have appeared across the country for years.

Napa police issued a statement about the flyers on Tuesday, saying that the agency was “deeply troubled and saddened by the recent distribution of antisemitic flyers in our community.”

“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,” Napa police said.

Napa police said that they were investigating whether the flyer distribution constituted a hate crime, when a criminal act is motivated by hatred of a specified group, or if it was a hate incident, where no crime was committed and the activity is protected by the First Amendment.