'United Against Hate': 33 Chicago Area Suburbs Issue Joint Statement

A coalition of 33 suburbs in the Chicago area issued a joint statement Thursday condemning acts of hate and emphasizing their shared commitment to public safety.

Representatives of the 31 villages and two cities, mostly located in Lake and Cook counties, said their municipalities collaborate as part of a "regional alignment" with information sharing, consolidated dispatching services and joint training efforts.

"During these times of strife, we are more committed than ever to safeguarding our communities," suburban officials said in the joint statement.

"We strive to be inclusive and welcoming spaces for the residents, businesses, and students who call our communities home as well as any visitors, and strongly oppose hate-motivated hostility that only serves to sow division and fear."

According to the statement, municipal staff across the 33 towns will continue to collaborate with state and federal law enforcement agencies and "antiterrorism professionals" in order to "monitor intelligence and implement additional measures" in the interest of public safety.

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"Our vigilance has been heightened as the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza, as well as the accompanying violence, have impacted many of our residents," suburban officials said.

"This has led to an unsettling surge in inflammatory, antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric and behavior on a global scale," the statement continued. "The heavy burden of grief, anxiety, and isolation is one that many community members bear as they and their families confront the consequences of terrorism."

Since the Hamas attack on Israel of Oct. 7, multiple people have been charged with hate crimes across Chicago suburbs.

A Plainfield Township landlord is awaiting trial in the fatal stabbing of 6-year-old Palestinian boy Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother. A Skokie man was indicted Thursday on hate crime charges for allegedly pepper-spraying a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators and police at a protest last month. And Skokie police are also investigating as a hate crime the destruction of more than a half dozen pro-Israel yard signs reported earlier this month.

Suburban officials asked all members of their communities — not just people who live or own business in their towns but those who work there also — to call 911 to report any suspicious behavior or activity.

Their statement was co-signed by representatives of the following municipalities: Bannockburn, Carol Stream, Deerfield, Flossmoor, Forest Park, Forest View, Glencoe, Glenview, Grayslake, Hampshire, Hazel Crest, Hainesville, Highland Park, Highwood, Hoffman Estates, La Grange, La Grange Park, Lake Bluff, Lake in the Hills, Lincolnshire, Lincolnwood, Lindenhurst, North Barrington, North Riverside, Northbrook, Northfield, Palos Park, Richton Park, Skokie, Vernon Hills, Wadsworth, Wheeling and Wilmette.

"While no specific threats have been reported in our communities, we understand that our residents are concerned about the wide-spread increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic language, imagery, or behavior," it said.

"Protecting public safety remains our highest priority, and in today’s interconnected world, it is a shared responsibility among regional, state and federal government partners."