F.B.I. Locates Suspect After Warning of Security Threat at New Jersey Synagogues
New York TimesDec 23, 2022
FBI Identifies Source of Threats to NJ Synagogues
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Image copyright: Associated Press [via ABC News]
The Facts
The FBI on Friday said it identified the source of an alleged threat to New Jersey synagogues, and the person is no longer a danger. A man, who may have autism and reportedly spoke of anger toward Jewish people because he was bullied, told the FBI he wouldn’t hurt anyone because he wouldn’t want to get in trouble.
This comes as, on Thursday, the FBI released a statement from its Newark office urging New Jersey synagogues to take extra security precautions after an online threat was discovered.
The Spin
Narrative A
Antisemitism is on the rise, aided by comments from far-right politicians and celebrities like Ye and Kyrie Irving. Their words don't exist in a vacuum, and incidents of assault and harassment of Jews are also on the rise. When high-profile people are able to use antisemitic language without consequences, other people with similar beliefs are encouraged.
Narrative B
While rising antisemitism is a concern, it's not the only form of hate crime that's spiked recently. Data shows that Blacks, Jews, sexual minorities and Latinos have all increasingly become the targets of bias-motivated attacks. More must be done to fight hate crimes across the board, especially in this hyper-polarized climate ahead of the midterms.
