Hate raises its ugly head again

The attitude about antisemitic groups in Central Florida used to be “if you ignore them, they will go away.” Not anymore. Now people hold to “if you see something, say something.”

On Saturday, Feb. 17, a group of neo-Nazi demonstrators stood on the corner of Lee Road and Orlando Avenue waving a Nazi flag and a Confederate Flag, while holding signs that read “Jews love genocide,” “The ADL protects pedophiles” and “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.”

The protesters drew the attention of Sen. Rick Scott, who posted on Facebook “We saw reports of disgusting anti-Semitic protests in Winter Park today. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating that we continue to see so much hate toward our Jewish community. Hate will never be tolerated in Florida, and we all must call it out every single time.”

Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (D-Orlando) followed up on social media “Sad to report that Nazi scum and losers are back in Winter Park, holding their disgusting flags and banner. Working with local officials to see what options we have for accountability.”

Shalom Orlando co-executive directors, Rachel Greenspan and Melissa Youngblood, released a statement on Sunday, stating that they “reaffirm our commitment to the safety and well-being of our community.”

They shared their gratitude to the local law enforcement and Chief Security Officer Jake Silverman for their dedication to the community’s safety.

The statement continued, “While these hateful actions are disheartening, we stand united against them and will not let hate groups impact our daily lives or beliefs. Your resilience is a testament to our collective strength.”

The co-execs encouraged the community to “continue embracing the ‘See Something, Say Something’ principle …” Then as a precaution, they advised those entering or leaving the JCC campus to “not hold doors open for the person behind you or a person entering an area you may be exiting.”