Antisemitic flyers found distributed in Palo Alto

Antisemitic flyers were found distributed at the homes of residents in Palo Alto on Sunday, a spokesman for the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office confirmed.

“Whoever wrote these must be very weak,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “This county's strength is its diversity. Their hatred is pitiful. If their hatred crosses the line, they will be prosecuted and held accountable.”

The flyers blame the coronavirus pandemic on Jews and also list off several federal public health employees and pharmaceutical industry executives who are Jewish. They also include the slogan “Let's go Brandon,” a coded political slogan used to insult President Joe Biden. Similar flyers have been found in San Francisco and in Southern California over the last two months, according to news reports.

“It's despicable,” said American Jewish Committee Northern California Director Serena Eisenberg. “We hope that people will stand together against any community that is being targeted.”

Last month Palo Alto police investigated racist graffiti targeting African Americans at El Carmelo Elementary School.

Last year authorities also investigated six instances of graffiti vandalism that occurred in parking lots, parks and public restrooms as hate crimes.

Police have said they believe it was possible two of the acts of vandalism — both in City Lot R parking garage on High Street in September — may have been committed by the same person. In the first case there was a racial epithet directed at African Americans and the second there were racial epithets against African Americans and an anti-Jewish symbol.

In March racial epithets directed at African Americans were discovered at Heritage Park, and “derogatory language” directed at whites were found inside a restroom at El Camino Park in May, July and September.