Category: USDJ Hate Crimes

Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man pleaded guilty today to firebombing a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa in March 2022 and planning to attack an electrical substation in Orange, and further admitted to plotting an attack on Dodger Stadium last year on a night celebrating LGBTQ pride.

Tibet Ergul, 22, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and one misdemeanor count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility.

“This defendant’s hateful ideology led him down a dark path of plotting to harm others,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The breadth of his and his co-conspirators’ violent plans is chilling. They planned to attack the power grid to start a race war, target Dodger Stadium on Pride Night, and bomb a second reproductive health services clinic. This reminds us of why it is critical that all of us unite against hate in our community.”  

“Mr. Ergul put lives at risk when he firebombed the clinic and yet continued to plan acts that had the potential to cause death and destruction,” said Amir Ehsaei, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Using terroristic violence to further an ideology is a serious crime with severe consequences and, as a result, Mr. Ergul faces significant jail time when sentenced for his cowardly choices.”

“NCIS is committed to the interagency coordination as part of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Battaglia of the NCIS Marine West Field Office. “This case should serve as a warning to those who perpetrate acts of terror against our fellow Americans and hate that threatens access to reproductive health services.”

According to his plea agreement, in February and March of 2022, Ergul and Chance Brannon, 24, of San Juan Capistrano, agreed to use a Molotov cocktail to damage a Planned Parenthood clinic in Orange County. Ergul and Brannon, who at the time was an active-duty United States Marine, targeted the clinic because it provided reproductive health services and they wanted to encourage others to engage in similar violent acts. Ergul and Brannon also wanted to make a statement about abortion; scare pregnant women away from obtaining abortions; deter doctors, staff and employees at the clinic from providing abortions; and intimidate the clinic’s patients.

On March 12, 2022, in Ergul’s garage, Ergul and Brannon knowingly assembled a Molotov cocktail. During the early morning hours of March 13, Ergul and Brannon – disguised in dark clothing, masks, hoods, and gloves – drove to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Costa Mesa, ignited the Molotov cocktail and threw it at the clinic’s entrance, intentionally starting a fire. Due to the fire and the damage it caused, the clinic was forced to temporarily close and reschedule approximately 30 patient appointments.

Ergul further admitted that in June 2022, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, he and Brannon planned to use a second Molotov cocktail to attack another Planned Parenthood clinic. Ergul and Brannon abandoned this plan after seeing law enforcement near the targeted clinic.

Ergul also conspired with others, including Brannon, to damage a Southern California Edison electrical substation to debilitate Orange County’s power grid. Ergul and his accomplices planned to attack the substation by using firearms or a Molotov cocktail that Ergul possessed in his garage. Ergul and Brannon consulted with an associate about surveillance, drone operations and firearms. In March 2023, Ergul messaged an associate to say he had found a substation in Orange to target. Ergul sent the associate aerial photographs of the substation and suggested doing a “drive-thru” at 3 a.m. Ergul also sent Brannon a letter in which he wrote: “The rifle is in a box in my room waiting to be used in the upcoming race war,” and he discussed a desire to murder politicians and journalists. Ergul and Brannon did not carry out this attack prior to their arrest in this case.

During the early summer of 2023, Ergul and Brannon also discussed and researched how to attack the Dodger Stadium parking lot or the stadium’s electrical room on a night celebrating LGBTQ pride, including by using a device that could be detonated remotely, Ergul admitted in his plea agreement. Brannon and Ergul exchanged sabotage manuals and discussed doing “dry runs” to “case” the stadium.  Law enforcement arrested Ergul and Brannon two days before Dodger Stadium’s scheduled “Pride Night.”

United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney scheduled a May 30 sentencing hearing, at which time Ergul will face a statutory maximum sentence of 21 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors have agreed to seek a sentence of between five years and six-and-a-half years in prison for Ergul.

Ergul, who has been in federal custody since June 2023, is the third and final defendant to plead guilty in this case.

Brannon, who also has been in federal custody since June 2023, pleaded guilty in November to four crimes: conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility – a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Brannon’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 15.

Xavier Batten, 21, of Brooksville, Florida, who has been in federal custody since July 2023, pleaded guilty on January 19 to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility. Batten’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 15.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated this matter. The Costa Mesa Police Department and the Costa Mesa Fire Department provided substantial assistance.

Assistant United States Attorney Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Jacob Warren from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results of the Middle District of Florida’s efforts to combat the disturbing spike in threats against public officials, religious institutions, and individuals in our community, as well as crimes motivated by hate-based ideologies. Over approximately the past year and half, federal prosecutors across the District have prosecuted more than 27 defendants for threats, stalking, harassment, interference with the exercise of civil rights, and other hate-based crimes. The defendants charged in these cases committed federal offenses on the internet, over the phone, in voicemails, on commercial aircraft, and in person. The attached chart details the threat and hate-crimes prosecutions that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has handled in the last year and a half.

The threats of violence, threatening conduct, and actions charged in the listed cases have caused serious harm to individual and organizational victims. Often these crimes create major disruptions in the continuity of operation of schools, retail establishments, medical facilities, houses of worship, and government offices. As the attached chart illustrates, federal judges have imposed substantial sentences on defendants charged with threat-related offenses in the Middle District of Florida. For example, the Court sentenced seven of these defendants to terms of imprisonment of more than a year. In some cases, the Court imposed sentences of five years’ imprisonment.

The Middle District of Florida’s pursuit of threat crimes is consistent with its overall strategy of reducing violent crime and sending the message to the community that threats of violence will also be taken seriously.  

“If you threaten somebody with violence, law enforcement will take you at your word,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “And if you commit a crime based on hate, we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those crimes, too. Law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors will act quickly to disrupt true threats and hate-based crimes by charging you in federal court.”

“Thanks to our strong law enforcement partnerships, we have the people, resources, and technology to identify and arrest those making violent or hate-based threats,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge David Walker. “While the FBI does not and will not police ideology, we take threats to life seriously, and so should anyone thinking about making one.”

“FDLE takes every threat seriously. We will work with our law enforcement partners and exhaust our investigative resources to apprehend anyone who dares to incite harm on Florida’s citizens,” says FDLE Fort Myers Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson. “Safeguarding Florida’s faith-based communities is paramount.”          

Many of the cases that have been prosecuted involved threats directed at victims based on their race, religion, color, national original, or sexual orientation.

Significant cases prosecuted in the past year include:

In Jacksonville in July 2023, Frederick Eugene Pierallini III (27, Jacksonville) pleaded guilty to two federal hate crimes related to intimidating two Black women and interfering with their enjoyment of federally protected activities because of their race and color. According to court documents, on September 10, 2022, Pierallini directed racial slurs at a store cashier. He then threatened the clerk by brandishing and cocking a shotgun. Two days later, Pierallini approached a woman on a public sidewalk, directed racial slurs at her, and threatened to kill her. Pierallini then left, returned with a shotgun, and fired a single shot. Pierallini is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for each count. The FBI Jacksonville Field Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Washington and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

In Orlando in January 2024, Jeziah Guagno (24, Boynton Beach) was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. According to court documents, in May 2021, a federal judge in the Middle District of Florida received a threatening letter from M.S.—an inmate at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The letter included violent threats to murder the judge and his wife. When interviewed, M.S. denied making the threats. Guagno, however, was also serving time in the same Florida prison as M.S. Subsequent DNA and fingerprint analysis by the FBI determined that Guagno’s DNA was on the envelope and his palmprint was on the letter. Further investigation revealed that the federal judge who had been threatened in the letter had previously dismissed a civil case filed by Guagno. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Corrections. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Crockett.

In Tampa in January 2024, Alexander Lightner (26, Venice) was charged by indictment with interstate transmission of a threat to injure and unlawful possession of a silencer. According to court filings, on December 29, 2023, Lightner made several online posts indicating his intent to carry out a mass shooting. Federal law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Lightner’s residence and located an unregistered firearm silencer, ammunition, and multiple firearms in his bedroom. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt. 

Threat cases prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida were investigated by the Anaheim Police Department, the Carbondale Police Department, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Corrections, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Hialeah Police Department, the Hollywood Police Department, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas City Police Department, the Miami Dade Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas Park Police Department, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Supreme Court of the United States Police Department, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Transportation Security Administration, the United States Capitol Police, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and other state and local partners.

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Risha Asokan, Tyrie Boyer, Erin Favorit, Carlton Gammons, William Hamilton, Stacie Harris, Abigail King, Kirwinn Mike, Brooke Padgett, Candace Rich, Lindsey Schmidt, Ilyssa Spergel, Karyna Valdes, Ashley Washington, and Kara Wick, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler.

For more information about other threat cases prosecuted by the Middle District of Florida, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr.

In addition to bringing federal prosecutions arising from this conduct, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has engaged in community efforts aimed at deescalating hate speech and encouraging tolerance and understanding. The Office recently implemented the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative, which seeks to teach the community how to identify, report, and help prevent hate crimes and to build trust between law enforcement and communities. To provide information about some of the federal resources and programs that are available for identifying, reporting, and preventing hate crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has set up a dedicated webpage (www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/unitedagainsthate).

Defendant (Age, Residence)	Charge(s) Maximum Terms of Imprisonment	Status
Sean Albert (20, Winter Park)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure	Sentenced to time served (approximately 8.5 months) on September 14, 2023.
Christopher Au- Young (36, California)	Interstate stalking (6 counts)	Sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on November 1, 2023.
Michael Basaman (45, Temple Terrace)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure (2 counts) Maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.	Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on April 5, 2024.
Mario Bentley           (39, Jacksonville)	Interstate stalking (2 counts) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon Maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.	Charged by indictment on January 23, 2024.
Curtis Brown (35, Indian River)	Threatening to kill a United States judge	Sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on June 27, 2023.
Michael Dambrosia (61, Ocala)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure, making false statement in connection with the attempted purchase of a firearm Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.	Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on March 4, 2024.
Caleb Hunter Freestone (28, Miami) Gabriella Oropesa (25, Cooper City)  Anarella Rivera (47, Hialeah)  Amber Smith-Stewart (24, Okeechobee)	Conspiracy Against Rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (2 counts) Maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison.	Charged by superseding indictment, scheduled for trial in March 2024.
Jeziah Guagno (24, Boynton Beach)	Mailing a threat to injure	Sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on January 9, 2024.
David Hannon (67, Sarasota)	Threatening to kill a United States congresswoman	Sentenced to 36 months of federal probation on July 6, 2022.
Robert Dewayne Lashley (52, Citrus Springs)	Hate Crime Acts	Sentenced to 26 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on January 25, 2023.
Roy Lamar Lashley (56, Citrus Springs)	Hate Crime Acts	Sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on January 25, 2023.
Jordan Patrick Leahy (29, Seminole)	Interference with federally protective activities based on race (2 counts)	Sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release on November 7, 2022.
Alexander Lightner (26, Sarasota)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure, possession of unregistered silencer Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.	Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on March 4, 2024.
Deep Alpesh Kumar Patel (21, Sarasota)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.	Pleaded guilty, scheduled for sentencing on March 14, 2024.
Frederick Eugene Pierallini III (27, Jacksonville)	Interference with federally protective activities based on race (2 counts) Maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.	Pleaded guilty, scheduled for sentencing in April 2024.
Justin Rancourt (35, St. Petersburg)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure	Sentenced on July 11, 2023, to time served (approximately 10 months in federal prison) to be followed by 120 months of supervised release.
Neal Sidhwaney (43, Fernandina Beach)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.	Pleaded guilty, scheduled for sentencing on April 1, 2024.
Evan Sims (41, Rhode Island)	False information and threats regarding the possession of an explosive on an airplane Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.	Charged by complaint on December 6, 2023.
Aaron Thompson (43, Raiford)	Mailing a threat to injure	Sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on October 23, 2023.
Stephen Thorn (65, Pensacola)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure, making telephone calls without disclosing identity to abuse, threaten, and harass Maximum penalty of 7 years in federal prison	Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial in June 2024.
Robert Trout (19, St. Petersburg)	Transmission of interstate threat to injure Maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.	Charged by indictment, scheduled for trial on February 5, 2024.
*Sealed cases and certain other cases are not listed in this chart.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

BOSTON – A Millis, Mass. man was arrested by federal authorities today for allegedly threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb places of worship.

John Reardon, 59, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to threaten a person or place with harm via an explosive. Reardon was arrested this morning and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at 2 p.m. today. Reardon was previously arrested by local law enforcement Jan. 25, 2024 and has remained in custody since.

“The allegations here about the series of threats Mr. Reardon made against the Jewish community are deeply disturbing and reflect the increasing torrent of antisemitism across our country and right here in Massachusetts. The numbers do not lie — incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia are spiking. We will continue to work every day with our federal, state and local partners to track down people who allegedly engage in such hateful conduct,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.

“John Reardon is accused of using his words as a weapon, leaving a threatening message to frighten members of the Congregation Agudas Achim,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “No one should have to fear becoming the victim of physical violence at the hands of an angry stranger. While the FBI does not and will not police ideology, we take all threats to life seriously, and so should anyone thinking about making one.”

According to the charging documents, on the morning of Jan. 25, 2024, Reardon allegedly called Congregation Agudas Achim, a synagogue in Attleboro, Mass. and left a voicemail making the following statements:

• “You do realize that by supporting genocide that means it’s ok for people to commit genocide against you;”
• “With supporting the killing of innocent little children, that means it’s OK to kill your children;”
• “From the river to the sea;” 
• “People are going to use your logic against you, you stupid f**ks;”
• “Guess what? We are going to use your logic —if you can kill the Palestinians, we can kill you;”
• “If you can bomb their f**king places of worship we can bomb yours, if you can kill their children we can kill yours;”
• “You people need to stop the f**king genocide;”
• “End the genocide, or it is time to end Israel and all the Jews;” 
• “I supported Jewish people though. Not anymore. A matter of fact I think we should kill you(s) all;” and
• “Have a lousy day and oh don’t be surprised if there’s pig blood on your steps tomorrow.”

It is further alleged that, within 10 minutes of leaving the voicemail at the Congregation Agudas Achim, Reardon called another local Synagogue as well as a local Jewish affiliated organization. Reardon was arrested by local law enforcement after the calls were made. 

The charge of using a facility of interstate commerce to threaten a person or place with harm via an explosive provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. The Attleboro and Wrentham Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Bristol County District Attorney’s Office; and Bristol County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe and Torey B. Cummings of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of stalking and admitted to engaging in a 14-month campaign in which he threatened a victim and threatened to shoot synagogues and “exterminate” Jewish people and Asian Americans.

Andre Morrow Lackner, 35, of Northridge, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking.

According to court documents, from June 2021 to October 2022, Lackner sent a series of abusive text messages to the victim. In these messages, Lackner directed a series of anti-Semitic remarks to the victim, including, “Hitler was right about you people,” “I want to see every single Jew exterminated from this earth,” “Would you like to celebrate the next synagogue shooting?” and “I will make sure I kill a Jew before I leave this Earth.”

Lackner also texted the victim multiple racist statements against Asian Americans, including “We need to start more Asian hate and wipe” Asian people “off the planet too.”

The text messages Lackner sent the victim placed her in reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury to herself or one of her immediate family members, according to court documents.

Lackner has been in federal custody since December 2022.

“My office will remain steadfast in standing up to hate and working to unite our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada.  “We must hold accountable those like this defendant who make vile, anti-Semitic, and racist threats that put victims in fear for their lives. I applaud law enforcement for acting decisively to intervene and protect the victim.”

“The defendant’s abhorrent words and actions caused his victim to experience fear of harm and death,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI urges victims of stalking to contact law enforcement to make a report.”

United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled a June 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Lackner will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

The FBI investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

LOS ANGELES – The United States Attorney’s Office hosted its third “United Against Hate” outreach event on Friday, January 26, at UCLA in Westwood, where approximately 200 participants from federal, state, and local civil rights enforcement agencies joined with community leaders to work together to combat the growing problem of hate crimes and incidents.

The event featured remarks by Dolores Huerta, one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano civil rights movement, and United States Attorney Martin Estrada.

“As the chief federal law enforcement officer in the nation’s most populous and culturally diverse district, I am troubled by the acts and rhetoric of hate we see across the country,” U.S. Attorney Estrada said. “Hate is meant to divide us, so it is imperative that we come together as a community to reject these acts and embrace the diversity of this nation, which has always been its strength. United, we can overcome hate.”

United Against Hate is a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to inform communities about hate crimes and reporting hate-related incidents. The Department launched the initiative in 2022 with the goal of building trust, opening lines of communication, and strengthening coordination between relevant partners and the community to help combat a growing number of hate and bias-related incidents since 2021.

Today’s event included a panel discussion regarding federal, state, and local initiatives to combat hate that featured leaders of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the California Civil Rights Department, the California Commission on the State of Hate, and L.A. Civil Rights.

Participants at today’s event also received training on identifying, reporting and responding to hate crimes and hate incidents. Additionally, there were presentations by the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service and LA Civil Rights.

Following the event, UCLA hosted a reception for community and governmental leaders.

This is the third United Against Hate event hosted by the United States Attorney’s Office. The office will continue to host presentations throughout the district to help communities understand what hate crimes are, how federal agencies respond to hate crimes, and what people can do to help victims. Community organizations or leaders that wish to partner with the United States Attorney’s office to hold a United Against Hate event in their community should send their request to USACAC.CV-CivilRights@usdoj.gov.

Anyone who feels they have been the victim of a hate crime or may have witnessed a hate crime should immediately report the crime to state or local police by dialing 911, then quickly report it to the FBI through their online portal or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). In addition, please report the incident to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division or by filing a civil rights complaint with the United States Attorney’s Office.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

“We can’t stand by and stand silent [in the wake of Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents]. We must, without equivocation, denounce Antisemitism. We must also, without equivocation, denounce Islamophobia.” – President Biden

The Biden-Harris Administration is today announcing new actions and resources to address the alarming rise of reported Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents at schools and on college campuses since the October 7^th Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. These actions will help protect students, engage school and university leaders, and foster safe and supportive learning environments.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has published an updated hate crimes threat response guide from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to inform Americans about the steps they can take if they receive a threat. The guide, published on the FBI’s hate crimes resource page, has been shared with organizations and state and local law enforcement entities across the nation. 

The Department of Education (ED) is today announcing that:

• The National Center for Safe and Supportive Learning Environments, a technical assistance center funded by ED, is releasing two collections of specialized resources designed to help educators, students, parents, and community members prevent Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of discrimination – one for P-12 schools and the other for institutions of higher education.
• This week, senior ED leaders will host listening sessions with P-12 school leaders and university leaders to glean key insights from the field about how some schools are keeping students safe in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In addition, listening sessions with Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Sikh, and other students, educators, and staff are planned for the next few weeks. ED will share notable examples of ways schools and campuses can prevent and address Antisemitism and Islamophobia.
• Additionally, on December 6th, ED’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education will launch a webinar series to develop, strengthen, and share evidence-informed strategies that help schools prevent and respond to hate-based threats, bullying, and harassment. The webinar series kicks off with a session on “Creating a Welcoming Environment” on Dec. 6, followed by webinars on “Full Student Participation” on Dec. 13, “Conflict Mediation” on Jan. 17, and “Ongoing Support” in February.

This week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a webinar on best practices for countering Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hatred on rural college campuses. USDA is partnering with the Department of Education and Muslim and Jewish groups to host the webinar. Register here for the event, which takes place Thurs., Nov. 16, from 2-3:30 PM EST.

Additional actions by the Biden-Harris Administration to combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools and on college campuses include:

• The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ) have taken the following steps to increase campus safety:
  • DHS and DOJ have disseminated public safety information to and hosted calls with campus law enforcement as part of broader outreach to state, local, tribal, and territorial officials to address the threat environment and share information about available resources. DHS has also shared relevant resources with campus partners nationwide.
  • As part of its continued outreach to campuses, DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is leveraging its 10 Regional field offices and their vast capabilities to conduct outreach and provide resources, tools, and services to K-12 and higher educational institutions to support their security requirements. On behalf of the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice, CISA continues to oversee the SchoolSafety.gov platform, which provides schools and districts with actionable recommendations to create safe and supportive environments for students and educators. The site serves as a one-stop access point for information, resources, guidance, and evidence-based practices on a range of school safety topics and threats.
  • On Oct. 30, the DOJ announced that is awarding over $38 million in grants to support the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, increase hate crimes reporting, expand victim services, and improve community awareness. This includes over $8 million in grants to community-based organizations and civil rights groups, including awards to organizations serving Jewish and Arab American communities.
  • DOJ’s Community Relations Service continues to provide support on college campuses and remains in dialogue with Jewish, Muslim, Arab, and other impacted communities on college campuses nationwide.

• ED has taken a number of steps to address prohibited forms of Antisemitic and Islamophobic discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI).
  • On Nov. 7, ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a new Dear Colleague Letter reminding schools of their legal obligations under Title VI to provide all students, including students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian, a school environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Secretary Cardona also has cautioned that if schools violate those obligations, ED has the authority to investigate and take action to redress violations, including by withholding federal dollars. As ED noted in the letter, the Department interprets its regulations consistent with the requirements of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, all of ED’s actions enforcing Title VI must comport with First Amendment principles, and ED’s regulations should not be interpreted to require recipients to enact or enforce codes that punish the exercise of protected free speech.
  • ED OCR also recently released an updated complaint form specifying that Title VI’s protection from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin extends to students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh, or based on other shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics—making it easier for students and others who experience such discrimination to seek redress for it. ED additionally made clear that anyone who believes that a school has discriminated against a student based on race, color, or national origin may file a complaint of discrimination with ED OCR, and that the person who files the complaint need not have been the target of the alleged violation.
  • ED continues to offer technical assistance webinars to school communities as well as community organizations on these applications of Title VI. To request such a training, please contact ED OCR at OCR@ed.gov.
  • ED is sharing additional resources in this area, including a fact sheet, Protecting Students from Discrimination Based on Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics, which was released in January 2023, and a Dear Colleague Letter issued in May 2023 as part of the Department’s launch of the Antisemitism Awareness Campaign, announced under the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. These resources are available on the Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics page of ED OCR’s website.
  • ED also continues to offer information about recently resolved complaints under Title VI, including complaints alleging discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics. That information is available here.

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Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)

SCRANTON – United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office held an event at the Central York High School to promote the Department of Justice’s United Against Hate initiative.  The event, which included federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, focused on educating students on how to identify, report, and prevent hate crimes. 

In its auditorium and broadcasted to all of their classrooms, the Central York High School hosted subject matter experts from the United States Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the City of York, York City Human Relations, the York County District Attorney’s Office, and other local law enforcement.  Presenters highlighted differences between hate crimes versus hate incidents and provided options for responding to hate incidents when situations do not constitute a federal or state crime. Presenters also distinguished unlawful conduct from protected First Amendment activity, including identifying protected speech versus speech that advocates violence or encourages people to commit hate crimes.

U.S. Attorney Karam previously hosted meetings in November 2022, in the Harrisburg area with an audience of various law enforcement agencies and community leaders from across the mid-state, March 2023, at Scranton High School for students and community leaders, and December 2023 in Harrisburg and Scranton with Jewish leaders. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to strengthen collaborative relationships of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies with communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. 

“As our country has seen increased incidents of hate since October 7, 2023, the importance of identifying, reporting, and preventing hate crimes continues to be a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Karam.  “As we strengthen our partnerships with state and local law enforcement and community partners, we also include our district’s high school students, our future leaders in that partnership.  By reaching out to students, we provide them the tools to prevent further hate incidents that violate the fundamental principal of democracy.”

As part of its United Against Hate programming, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to partner with communities across the Middle District of Pennsylvania to expand connections with those communities, further hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more people to report hate crimes and hate incidents.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office is currently scheduling events at other district high schools and will soon meet with Islamic leaders. 

Those who believe they are subject to hate crimes or incidents should contact local law enforcement and the FBI.  Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. Anyone in the Middle District of Pennsylvania may also report civil rights violations to the Civil Rights coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by calling 717-614-4911 or emailing usapam.civil.rights@usdoj.gov.

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