Anti-Semitic flyers found on roads in Isla Vista. Sheriff is ‘actively investigating’
Public officials are strongly condemning the distribution this week of hateful, anti-Semitic flyers in Isla Vista.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the flyers, which were found inside plastic bags left on roadways around the community adjacent to UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday.
“Sheriff Bill Brown would like to reassure members of the Jewish community that we are actively investigating these incidents, and deputies will continue to reach out to Jewish faith leaders and community centers to establish open communication and address any safety concerns,” said Raquel Zick, the agency’s public information officer.
“The men and women of the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office denounce hatred, violence and racism of any kind,” Brown said in a news release.
“While we are pleased that we have had no recent hate crimes against Jewish victims reported in the communities we police, we want to ensure these types of crimes are reported to us if they occur. All such reports are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.”
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is “not aware of any incidents here similar to those in Santa Barbara County,” agency public information officer Tony Cipolla wrote in an email Wednesday.
He shared a statement from San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson.
“The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office strongly condemns any and all acts of racism, hate, and violence,” Parkinson said in the statement. “And we will continue to guard against any crimes that target specific groups or individuals based on their background and beliefs.”
Anti-Semitic fliers found in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara
The offensive flyers were distributed in a manner similar to the one used to disseminate anti-Semitic flyers in the Mesa neighborhood in Santa Barbara in December, on the first day of Hanukkah.
In that case, the flyers were delivered in clear plastic sandwich baggies and left in the front yards of homes.
Similar incidents have been reported in other communities across the country in recent months.
Twitter and other social media sites lit up on Tuesday and Wednesday with people commenting on the appearance of the flyers.
“I’m hurt. Today in our college town of Isla Vista many of us Jewish students woke up to posters spreading anti-semitism purposely placed around places known to be frequented by Jewish students,” wrote one Twitter user. “We must come together (and) take a stance against this!”
Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps, members of the Isla Vista Community Services District board and other community leaders signed a letter Wednesday condemning the flyers and supporting the Jewish community:
“As elected and appointed leaders representing Isla Vista and UCSB, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the antisemitic fliers dispersed in our neighborhoods. We stand in solidarity with our Jewish community, and against hatred and bigotry. Hate can have no home in our community.
“The white supremacist hate group responsible for these flyers is targeting our community to try and spread their hateful conspiracy theories.”
“During this time, it is understandable that many community members may feel unsafe,” the letter continued. “The Community Service Organization has a proven record of being there for us during Isla Vista’s darkest hours, providing walking escorts to all residents. You can count on CSOs to show up with friendly faces, and a direct line to first responders.”
The Community Service Organization can be contacted at 805-893-2000.
Anyone with information about the source of the messages is encouraged to contact Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office detectives at 805-681-4150. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can provide information via the department’s tipline at 805-681-4171 or online at SBSheriff.org.