Antisemitism Watch

Hillary Clinton Suggests Oct 7 Attacks Were Netanyahu's 'Inside Job'
US Education Probes Campus Antisemitism; Pomona College Faces Lawsuit
San Diego, Ventura Neighborhoods Hit by Swastika Vandalism

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

We begin with recent incidents of antisemitic vandalism. In San Diego, California, residents of the San Carlos neighborhood discovered swastikas and racial slurs, including the N-word, spray-painted across homes, fences, and vehicles overnight. CBS 8 reported that the vandalism occurred on Lake Ariana Avenue and surrounding streets. A Jewish resident, who asked not to be identified, told CBS 8 that seeing swastikas was a 'bad sign' and that 'there is no reason for all of that hate.' City Councilmember Raul Campillo called the vandalism 'completely abhorrent,' noting its timing just before Rosh Hashanah and stating it was 'an attack on who we are as a city, trying to instill fear into communities.' Campillo urged that 'people who vandalize property and who aim to perpetrate hate crimes must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,' according to reporting reviewed for this episode.

In Ventura, California, three separate incidents of antisemitic vandalism occurred over Labor Day weekend. The Ventura Police Department reported that swastikas and hateful messages, including 'You will be judged,' 'Zionist traitors,' and 'Death to Jews,' were found at Temple Beth Torah, Higher Vision Church, and Juanamaria Park. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, police are investigating these acts as hate crimes and have increased patrols near faith-based events. Ventura Mayor Jeannette Sánchez-Palacios called the vandalism 'an attack on the values we share as a community.'

On the educational front, federal investigations into alleged antisemitism are underway. The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened two federal civil rights investigations, one into the Etiwanda School District in California and another into the American Musical Dramatic Academy in New York. These probes follow complaints filed by the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, the Anti-Defamation League, and StandWithUs, which allege that Jewish students faced antisemitic harassment, retaliation, and hostile educational environments. At Etiwanda Intermediate School, allegations include repeated harassment of a seventh-grade Jewish student, involving physical assault, anti-Jewish slurs, Nazi salutes, swastikas, and praise for Hitler, as detailed in reporting from the ADL and other outlets. At AMDA, a Jewish student allegedly faced retaliation after reporting antisemitic harassment, including flyers glorifying violence against Jews.

In California, the State Education Department overturned a previous finding by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. This department ruled that a teacher's supplemental materials accusing Israel of 'genocide' created an 'intimidating and discriminatory environment' for Jewish students, according to reporting reviewed for this episode. The state now requires the district to implement mandatory training on preventing bias and prejudice, with a specific emphasis on antisemitism.

Meanwhile, Pomona College faces a $1 million lawsuit filed in 2025 by former employee Melody DiDonato. Reporting from the New York Post and Daily Mail indicates the suit alleges discrimination based on disability and Jewish faith, and a hostile work environment, including exposure to antisemitic rhetoric amid protests. DiDonato claims she felt threatened and unsafe on campus due to protesters. Pomona College vigorously denies these allegations, stating that 'all forms of discrimination and harassment, including antisemitism, are antithetical to Pomona College’s core values and have no place on our campus,' according to the Independent.

In Denver, school board members Monica Hunter and Donald “D.J.” Torres have requested an independent investigation into allegations levied against them by board President Xóchitl Gaytán, including an accusation that Hunter made an antisemitic comment about a colleague, as obtained by The Denver Post.

At the University of North Carolina, administrators issued a campuswide condemnation of multiple recent acts of racism, antisemitism, and bigotry. Chancellor Lee Roberts and other officials sent an email acknowledging that these acts have occurred since the start of the semester, stating they are 'abhorrent' and 'fundamentally incompatible with the purpose of a university.' This follows weeks of student frustration over the university's delayed acknowledgment, as reported by The Daily Tar Heel.

Additionally, concerns persist regarding the influence of organizations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, in K-12 education. Reports indicate CAIR produces curriculum materials and influences how Islam and the Middle East are taught, with some materials including controversial resources. House Education Chair Tim Walberg has called this 'deeply troubling given CAIR’s ties to terrorism and antisemitism,' according to reporting reviewed for this episode. The broader context of antisemitism in California public schools is also noted, with reporting indicating well-documented incidents affecting Jewish students.

In politics and media, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton suggested on MS NOW's 'Morning Joe' that the October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel were an 'inside job orchestrated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu' so he could 'come down hard' on Hamas. Clinton posited that Netanyahu may have been warned of an impending attack and 'wanted to see what they could plan so that then he could come down hard and it would enhance his position.'

U.S. Representatives Mike Lawler and August Pfluger have publicly accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism. As reported by Fox News, Representative Lawler stated, 'I think Mayor Mamdani has proven himself to be a vile antisemite.' Representative Pfluger called on Mamdani to skip the upcoming 25th anniversary September 11th memorial events, stating he should not attend 'until he can... actually call out terror groups around the world for what they want to do to this country, and that includes Hamas.' An online petition with over 100,000 signatures reportedly cites Mamdani's past associations and statements. Mayor Mamdani did issue a Rosh Hashanah greeting to Jewish New Yorkers amidst this backlash.

The Green Party in the UK is reportedly investigating antisemitism allegations against 30 of its candidates ahead of local council elections, according to reporting reviewed for this episode.

And Rutgers University professor Mark Bray, author of 'Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook,' has relocated to Spain. This move follows alleged death threats and doxxing after the assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025. Bray's publisher connects his decision to leave the U.S. to the political atmosphere after Kirk's murder, describing it as a 'Trumpian moment' and a 'new fascism' that has 'chased the author into hiding.' According to his publisher, federal agents questioned Bray at the airport. Bray himself stated he moved abroad 'for safety reasons' after receiving multiple death threats and being doxxed, as detailed in reporting reviewed for this episode.

Internationally, a 'Free Palestine' protest in Basel, Switzerland, saw demonstrators reportedly defend Hamas and display 'Death to Zionism' slogans. This incident highlights international sentiment and potential radicalization related to the conflict, as noted in reporting reviewed for this episode.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
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