Sand Lake Hills, Orlando, FL – Some Orange County neighbors say messages of hate, white supremacy, and antisemitism were thrown in their front yards overnight.
When they found them Sunday morning, they called the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to investigate.
“The other one has a swastika,” said a resident, who did not want to be named.
A man living in the Sand Lake Hills community says he and his neighbors found several Ziploc bags left in their front yards Sunday.
He says inside were some messages of hate, white supremacy, and antisemitism.
He didn’t want to show his face on camera, but he did want to express his frustration.
“We’re not trying to give them positive press here, but I think there needs to be something in the (legislation) that they don’t feel it’s OK that they can go and terrorize people, especially after mass shootings,” the resident said.
His neighborhood is a tight-knit group with families from different backgrounds, including those of Jewish descent.
“So we’re soliciting anyone with video cameras in the neighborhood now. The doorbell rings, etcetera, etcetera, so we can build the case against these people,” the resident said.
There have been several cases of antisemitism in Central Florida. People want to see some change.
“Let’s not wait until something happens. We have enough resources and information and cameras and printing and DNA and fingerprints, etcetera, etcetera, where these people shouldn’t be able to do this in year after year, after year without someone taking responsibility,” the resident said.
He says the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is aware and is looking into who was behind the bags.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released a statement Sunday afternoon, saying it’s aware of the flyers distributed in the area.
“We know these groups demonstrate and distribute hateful flyers in high profile areas in order to agitate and incite people with antisemitic symbols and slurs. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office deplores hate speech in any form. But people have the First Amendment right to demonstrate. What these groups do is revolting and condemned in the strongest way by Sheriff Mina and the Sheriff’s Office,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.