There are questions surrounding a citation issued against a man accused of spreading antisemitic flyers in the community.
The flyers were thrown from a car in a Winter Garden neighborhood over the weekend. The person accused of doing it was issued a traffic violation, despite a new law that makes tossing out hate messages a misdemeanor.
Oakland police said the FBI was contacted, but at this point there are no criminal charges because it’s considered free speech and their hands are tied.
NGO StopAntisemitism has identified the antisemitic flyers as those commonly littered by the white supremacist group, the Goyim Defense League. The league is led by neo-Nazi Jon Minadeo II. Minadeo moved from California to Florida in hopes to rapidly spread intimidation and violence against the Jewish communities residing in Florida. Since his move, he and his members have been arrested and cited multiple times over antisemitic flyers drops, banner drops, projecting swastikas onto buildings, and even for the solicitation of sexual favors from minors.
While the Florida legislature has just advanced hate bill HB269, white supremacist Jon Minadeo II (founder of 'Goyim Defense League' or 'GDL') is encouraging more antisemitic flyers to be dropped.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) March 9, 2023
He atrociously refers to the legislation as "Don't Say Jew" bill! pic.twitter.com/Nsv1pOKDQi
StopAntisemitism is the leading watchdog organization following and tracking the movements of the league. Governor DeSantis signed HB 269 into law prohibiting the littering or solicitation of materials used to intimidate individuals of a certain race or religion. It also made it illegal to project symbols or words onto private buildings. This has not slowed down the momentum of Jew-hatred at the hands of the GDL.
More antisemitic 'Goyim Defense League' flyers were passed out in Florida this weekend.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 14, 2023
But despite HB269, a bill just passed making this punishable by up to 1 year in prison, the man was only issued a traffic citation!
Oakland PD Chief @darronesan stated it was "free speech". pic.twitter.com/G8XRPk8Bxl
“Those of us night owls were barefoot, picking them up, hoping none of the kids saw them.”
Though the person was caught and cited for a traffic violation, a new Florida law that went into effect last months prohibits material to intimidate or threaten be distributed onto private property.
Rep. Randy Fine, who co-sponsored the bill, said he’s reached out to the Oakland police chief to get some answers, but said he hasn’t heard back.
National organizations like Stop Antisemitism said they’ve done the same and aren’t getting anywhere either.
“We’re hoping to connect with him and provide some education into why this isn’t just free speech, and what he and his department can specifically do to stop this rhetoric,” said Liora Rez with Stop Anti-Semitism. “We’d love to get to the bottom of this.”