Westfield Mayor Accuses Right-Wing Group Of Sowing Fear, Hate Ahead Of Election

WESTFIELD, NJ — Mayor Shelley Brindle and Westfield's Human Relations Advisory Commission warned the community on Sunday about a right-wing organization that is spreading "hateful" and "false" messaging ahead of the election on Tuesday.

"Many Westfield residents received a flyer in their mailbox from the right wing American First Legal Foundation promoting a false narrative that there is 'widespread racial discrimination against White and Asian Americans,' intending to sow fear and hatred between neighbors and minority groups," wrote Brindle and Gary Mandelblatt, the chair of the Human Relations Advisory Commission, in a letter to the community.

"Its timing and content further escalates hate speech and hate crimes in order to impact critical local and federal elections in New Jersey," the letter stated.

Brindle and Mandelblatt reminded residents that it was only this past week when the FBI in Newark issued a warning of "credible information of a broad threat" to all Jewish synagogues in New Jersey.

In response to the threat, Westfield Police increased its presence at local houses of worship, such as Temple Beth Emanu-El and the Union County Torah Center-Chabad.

Read more: Synagogue Threats Spur Increased Patrols In Westfield

"Thankfully, due to the efforts of our law enforcement agencies, this particular threat was mitigated, but unfortunately the level of antisemitism nationally is only intensifying," Brindle and Mandelblatt wrote.

The letter points out that public antisemitic statements have been on the rise recently and that Westfield has been no stranger to antisemitism itself.

In just the past year, swastikas have been discovered etched in school bathroom stalls at the high school, as well as chalked in Mindowaskin Park.

"These acts of bias are being fueled by the division in our country and the actions of politically motivated groups," Brindle and Mandelblatt said.

American First Legal Foundation, the right-wing organization that many Westfield residents received mail from, states on its website that it believes "all Americans deserve a government that puts their needs, their interests, and their country first."

The Foundation further states that is opposes "the radical left’s anti-jobs, anti-freedom, anti-faith, anti-borders, anti-police, and anti-American crusade."

The group, which was founded by former President Donald Trump's senior advisor Stephen Miller, has been running ads across the country that claim efforts by the federal government to prioritize aid for vulnerable communities is a "form of racism against White people and is just as pernicious as racism against Blacks," according to The Washington Post.

These digital ads and direct mail from far-right group like American First also seek to blame Democrats for the spike in anti-Asian hate crimes since the start of the of COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Intercept.

Brindle and Mandelblatt explain in their letter that the Human Relations Advisory Commission (HRAC) was established by ordinance in Westfield in 2019 and is comprised of nine residents, appointed by the mayor and Town Council, that reflect the "broad diversity" of the community.

HRAC's mission is to "promote, cultivate, and facilitate an inclusive community culture that does not tolerate prejudice of any kind, to speak out against hate and promote allyship for those that are the targets of discrimination, and to educate the community about the presence and dehumanizing impact of both discrimination and prejudice."

"We call on all Westfield residents to categorically denounce these disgusting acts of bias and repulsive propaganda and demand an immediate stop to any and all hate motivated actions intended to divide our country, and our community," Brindle and Mandelblatt stated.

"Staying silent and doing nothing is not acceptable. Our community depends upon each and every one of us to proactively denounce hate, condemn antisemitism, racial bias, and all discrimination, and we ask that you join us in our mission towards building a better, more inclusive Westfield," they concluded.

You can read more about HRAC on the town website.

For information on the upcoming local election in Westfield, read here: Election Day In Westfield: Who's On The Ballot + When, Where To Vote.

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