'It's disturbing:' Hundreds of antisemitic flyers distributed in at least 5 north Raleigh neighborhoods
Hundreds of antisemitic flyers appeared in at least five north Raleigh neighborhoods overnight.
The flyers link to a website to an organization called Goyim Defense League, which is currently tracked as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law.
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, discovered a multitude of fliers left on neighbors' driveways while taking an evening walk in Fairfax Hills. Just three minutes away, another woman reported more hate flyers in her own neighborhood of Hickory Hills. Just a few more minutes away, another neighbor near North Hills reported finding one of the flyers.
North Ridge also woke up to antisemitic flyers in their driveways. According to neighbors, there's a notable Jewish population in North Ridge due to its walkable distance to the Orthodox Synagogue on Falls of Neuse Road. The synagogue appears to be very close to all of the neighborhoods targeted.
A woman and her daughter also found the flyers in Quail Hollow Sunday morning.
One neighbor called the police, and they transferred him to 911.
“It is troubling, it is disturbing and it shows that antisemitism is still around," said Eric Solomon, a rabbi who lives in one of the communities that received the flyers. "And here in our beloved city, it has increased.”
This is far from the first time antisemitic flyers have been distributed around Raleigh's neighborhoods. Less than a year ago, Fairfax Hills residents woke up to flyers linked to the same organization.
Last August, flyers baring the name Goyim Defense League also appeared in multiple Raleigh neighborhoods, including several blocks of Harps Mill Road, according to incident reports filed with Raleigh Police Department.
Cases of antisemitism have been rising in previous years, according the Anti-Defamation League, who tracks incidents of antisemitism. Last year set records for hate targeting the Jewish community with nearly 3,700 incidents nationwide. That's up 36 percent from the year before. The ADL counted 39 incidents of antisemitism in North Carolina in 2022. That was a 30 percent increase from 2021.
The Goyim Defense League, according to message boards, said their plan is to place the flyers in middle class neighborhoods which could catch the attention of local news.
Rabbi Solomon said while he knows it's planned, he is still grateful for people shining a light on antisemitism.
“It is planned and calculated. They are trying to attack neighborhoods to get the greatest bang for the buck," Solomon said. "I appreciated WRAL covering it. I think sunlight is the best disinfectant."
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said a person caught distributing these flyers could be charged with ethnic intimidation if the it contains a threat.
That's a Class 1 misdemeanor, meaning someone convicted of that crime could face up to 120 days in jail.
If you found any antisemitic flyers over the weekend, you can send us photos and information here.
You can also call Raleigh police to file a police report.
