‘Hate-Motivated’ Incidents Reported In Marin

NOVATO, CA — Flyers laced with antisemitic messaging were distributed in a Marin community, mirroring similar incidents that occurred earlier this year locally and across the country, Novato police said.

A community member at around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday reported that antisemitic flyers were distributed on vehicles parked on San Marin Drive, and additional flyers were found on parked vehicles on Arthur Street, police said.

Similar incidents were reported in Marin this year in February, April, July and September.

A Petaluma man admitted earlier this year that his group was behind the distribution of antisemitic flyers in the Bay Area and beyond, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. Jon Minadeo runs Goyim TV, according to the report.

Although not a violation of the law, police said the incidents are considered “hate-motivated,” which is described as an action motivated by hate but legally protected by the First Amendment.

Police noted that the most recent report occurred amid United Against Hate Week, a national event that is being held Nov. 13-19 this year.

“At the Novato Police Department, we work in partnership with our community to stand up against all forms of hate expression and protect our community from hate crimes,” the agency said in a statement.

“We have partnered with Not in Our Town to encourage victims of hate crimes to report incidents promptly and to show that we do not tolerate these types of incidents in our community.”

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Novato Police Department at (415) 897-4361 or visit the agency’s online portal for hate incidents.

Reference case No. NP22-4179.