Anonymous
Update by the Santa Barbara Police Department
December 19, 2022
The Santa Barbara Police Department received numerous calls for service this weekend in regards antisemitic flyers being distributed in Santa Barbara neighborhoods. These flyers were discovered by residents on the mesa on the first day of Hanukkah, and many of the flyers were turned over to the Police Department.
The flyers were delivered in clear plastic sandwich baggies and left in the front yards of homes in Santa Barbara. This is very similar to what other cities across the country have experienced in recent months. It does not appear that anyone person or group of people were targeted in this distribution of flyers. The flyers have been described “upsetting “ and “full of hate”.
Anyone with information about the flyers or in possession surveillance footage of distribution in their neighborhood is encouraged to call or email Lt. Baker, Santa Barbara Police Department Investigative Division.
Lt. A. Baker (805) 897-3754
abaker@sbpd.com
Offensive Fliers Found in Santa Barbara Neighborhoods
Readers throughout several Santa Barbara neighborhoods report finding hateful fliers littered on people’s yards.
December 19, 2022
Reported by edhat readers
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Walking on the Westside Sunday morning to find these bizarre fliers in plastic baggies filled with rocks all over my neighorhood. I picked one up and it appears to be some deeply offensive and anti-semitic conspiracy theories. Really sad to see this. Hope someone caught the person/people on camera.
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Alta Mesa: Awful papers with anti-jewish statements found on my lawn today. Who would do this?!
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Mesa: Baggies of sand with crazy anti-Semitic rants on pieces of paper. Does anyone have any more information? Is this one awful crazy person or done by a hateful group? Sad to see in our town.
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Westside: Saw these on the ground, what is it? Ran into some neighbors who were picking up and throwing away as many as they could find.
having an opinion isn’t illegal…..report to the police? for what? having an opinion? do you people really understand what the police are there for? it’s not garbage complaints like this. just throw it in the trash and move on. you’ve already let them win by allowing this to consume your time, thoughts. put hate where it goes…in the trash. again, this isnt illegal. nor is throwing it in the trash where it belongs.
It’s a hate crime.
It’s arguably hateful, but hate speech is not a crime. The first amendment protects the rights of crazy people to express crazy ideas. Below is a link to some clarification on the distinction between a hate crime and protected speech from the state of california. While this incident is not a crime, it is deeply disturbing. Hopefully it will help raise awareness about antisemitism and lead to constructive discourse in the community.
https://oag.ca.gov/hatecrimes
Nothing, CHIP?
Sac, I don’t understand your comment, and I don’t think you understood mine. I said the flier, which I did read, is hateful. I also said that I hoped this incident would raise awareness about antisemitism, and lead to constructive dialog in the community. I thought this would be something we agree on.
Toot, you’re just making up things. Cool. But it’s still not illegal. Love how i got 8 DV! Just because i said something you didn’t want to know or hear. Sorry, but idiots have freedom of speech as well as you and I do. Craming it down someone’s throat? Making things up again. Otherwise that would be assault. Keep it real yo….
“… but idiots have freedom of speech.”
And you are certainly exercising yours.
Bit of advice: Never entertain the delusion that you could ever practice law, much less understand it.
Zero, I think we actually have a fair amount of common ground. I’m also amazed and a little disturbed at how unpopular the concept of free speech has become. I think you set a downvoting record simply for pointing out that it’s not a crime to say something mean and objectionable.
If they show up at my place they’ll wind up on camera, I’ll get a plate and/or a face to pursue because that’s absolute trash.
Keep in mind that posting the images of the flyers here just spread the message to more people. You basically just did them a favor. Maybe rethink what you’re trying to achieve by posting other people’s hate messages online. Better to dump it in the trash and move on. Don’t further amplify the message.
One thing I don’t understand: what is it about the Jewish people that causes so much hate? Seems like they’re like the rest of us.