Anti-Semitic Flyers In Danville Deemed Hate Incident: Police

DANVILLE, CA — There will be no charges following the distribution of flyers deemed as anti-Semitic in Danville on April 24.

Danville Chief of Police Allan Shields said what happened is not a hate crime but rather a hate incident.

Shields referred back to a similar situation in February when flyers viewed as anti-Semitic were found around town. During his update to the community at that time, he explained the difference between a hate crime and a hate incident.

“Hate incidents fall under free speech. While they’re hurtful in nature, it’s not a crime,” he said.

In California, someone can be a victim of a hate crime if there is a crime committed against them based on actual or perceived race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, Shields said.

“A hate incident is an action or behavior that is motivated and is based on those categories that I just mentioned but what is lacking is the crime."

It's also not illegal to put a flyer on someone's door, Shields said. A crime comes into play if someone is asked to leave a home and doesn't, or if they enter the home.

Rabbi Shmuli Raitman said he found out about the flyers while teaching at Hebrew school. Afterward, he got his family together and they collected the papers and threw them in the trash.

Raitman said he’s thankful for the department’s involvement. His feelings about the Town of Danville remain positive despite the recurrence of the flyers.

“Danville is a tolerant, welcoming and loving community. This does not represent them,” he said.

Neither the police nor Raitman will provide pictures of the flyers because they don’t want to share the message behind them. Both received multiple tips about them and follow-up calls of support, which they characterize as the silver lining.

“The overwhelming support from the larger community has been really special,” Raitman said. "The response from our community to the larger community would be let’s respond with more kindness. Good will prevail."