Headlines

Neo-Nazi Arrest Thwarts Synagogue Attack; UK Campuses See 80% Rise in Antisemitism
LA Mayoral Candidates Clash Over 'Genocide' Term; Canada Declares Antisemitism National Security Threat
White Supremacists Distribute Fliers Nationwide; NYC Releases Antisemitism Strategy Amidst Criticism

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Transcript

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

We begin with a critical intervention. In 2024, the arrest of self-proclaimed neo-Nazi Mason Reynolds in Hove prevented an antisemitic attack on a synagogue, according to reporting reviewed for this episode. This incident underscores the persistent threat of far-right extremism.

Across the United States, organized white supremacist groups continue to distribute antisemitic propaganda. The ADL reports multiple instances this past spring and summer. In Lewiston, Maine, individuals associated with the New England White Network placed fliers calling to "Boycott Jewish business" alongside Holocaust imagery. In Henderson, Texas, members of the Goyim Defense League distributed fliers with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ messages. Patriot Front members posted fliers stating "No Zionists in Government." In Athens, Georgia, the neo-Nazi group Blood Tribe marched, shouting "Heil Hitler!" and carrying a swastika flag. In Lubbock, Texas, a sticker with an antisemitic caricature reading "The Jews did this!" was found on a gas pump. In Lynnwood, Washington, Injekt Division distributed fliers with messages like "Uniformed thugs serve the Jews" and "Resist international Judaism." The Goyim Defense League was also active in Jacksonville, Florida, distributing propaganda stating "Every single aspect of the slave trade was Jewish," and in Berkley and Huntington Woods, Michigan, with fliers alleging "Every single aspect of Disney child grooming is Jewish," and linking Jews to "genocide white people." In Tallahassee, Florida, Patriot Front posted stickers including "No Zionists in government." These incidents, reported by the ADL, demonstrate a coordinated effort to spread hate.

On the education front, local rabbis are raising alarms about a perceived "normalization of antisemitism" within Montgomery County Public Schools, or MCPS. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, a letter signed by over 40 rabbis notes a 137% increase in reported hate-bias incidents between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years, with the total number of incidents rising from 253 to 600. The clergy are urging MCPS leadership to implement more substantive, specific training and guidelines. This follows an incident where a swastika was found on a student's desk at Walter Johnson High School and previous discoveries of antisemitic graffiti at Greenwood Elementary. District officials attributed the increase partly to staff training in hate-bias reporting.

In the United Kingdom, antisemitism at universities has seen a significant rise. A report by the Community Security Trust, or CST, indicates that university-related antisemitic incidents have increased by nearly 80% compared to the period before the October 2023 Hamas attacks. Reporting by Algemeiner and other sources notes that the CST recorded 178 such incidents between the 2024 and 2026 academic years, with 95 incidents in the 2025-26 academic year alone. This is substantially higher than the 53 incidents recorded in 2022-23. While most incidents involved abusive behavior, verbal attacks, or graffiti, the report also documented two occurrences of extreme violence and six assaults across the two-year period. Worryingly, the CST also reported that 16 antisemitic incidents were perpetrated by university staff.

In Los Angeles, mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman recently clashed over rhetoric surrounding the Gaza war at a forum organized by the Jewish community. As reported by JTA, Council member Raman defended her use of the term "genocide" to describe events in Gaza, stating she relied on expert opinions. Incumbent Mayor Bass rejected that characterization. The forum also touched on Raman's past appearance on streamer Hasan Piker's show, who has made derogatory statements about Israel.

In France, political tensions flared after President Emmanuel Macron called reports of antisemitic messages sent by National Rally figurehead Jordan Bardella between 2013 and 2015 "extremely serious and unacceptable." Bardella pushed back against Macron's comments. Further complicating the situation, Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli defended Bardella, accusing the French left of "character assassination," according to reporting by Euronews and Haaretz.

The Government of Canada has taken a significant step, officially acknowledging antisemitism as a national security threat. Reporting reviewed for this episode details a government progress report that links antisemitism to extremism and the erosion of social cohesion. Canada has also passed the Combatting Hate Act, though concerns remain about the practicalities of enforcing such legislation.

In Italy, divisions on the left have emerged over a proposed bill to combat antisemitism. The main opposition Democratic Party, or PD, boycotted a parliamentary committee vote on the bill, which includes the IHRA definition of antisemitism. A PD source stated the party considered the definition "divisive" and feared it could curtail legitimate criticism of Israel. The bill's supporters argue stronger safeguards are needed, citing a record 963 antisemitic cases recorded in Italy in 2025, according to reporting by Algemeiner.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has released his administration's $7.4 million "Strategy to Combat Antisemitism." This plan allocates funding for hate crime prevention and Jewish cultural centers. However, critics, as reported by various outlets, have pointed out that the strategy omits a clear definition of antisemitism and fails to identify the specific movements driving antisemitic sentiment. Governor Kathy Hochul, when questioned, deferred to New York State's existing definition and declined to comment directly on the city's plan.

On the legal front, Michael C. Dorf's submission to the US Civil Rights Commission provides a critical analysis of the federal response to campus antisemitism. As detailed in reporting reviewed for this episode, Dorf scrutinizes the legality of the Trump administration's funding cutoffs under Title VI, labeling them as "unlawful, unconstitutional, and destructive" due to procedural and substantive statutory limitations.

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.

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Sources:
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80803
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-81158
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80758
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80754
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-81174
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-81192
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80720
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80873
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80882
- ADL: https://www.adl.org/heat-map-80750
- camera.org: https://www.camera.org/article/when-krishnan-met-mehdi-channel-4-platforms-mehdi-hassans-views-on-antisemitism/
- Algemeiner: https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/09/30/antisemitism-uk-universities-increasing-security-charity-says/
- bethesdamagazine.com: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2026/09/30/mcps-antisemitism-letter/
- bbc.co.uk: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9gk54r61yldo
- JTA: https://www.jta.org/2026/09/30/politics/at-la-mayoral-forum-candidates-weigh-in-on-israeli-genocide-charges-and-antisemitism
- wsj.com: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/antisemitism-allegations-threaten-french-far-rights-efforts-to-clean-up-its-image-d7ff27c8
- euronews.com: https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/30/bardella-hits-back-at-macron-over-antisemitism-allegations
- camera-uk.org: https://camera-uk.org/2026/09/30/when-krishnan-met-mehdi-channel-4-platforms-mehdi-hassans-views-on-antisemitism/
- dailynews.com: https://www.dailynews.com/2026/09/30/bass-raman-differ-on-gaza-antisemitism-at-la-mayoral-forum/
- haaretz.com: https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/2026-09-30/ty-article/israeli-minister-backs-french-far-right-leader-amid-antisemitism-allegations/000001a0-f18d-de31-a7f0-f99fde5b0001
- ynetnews.com: https://www.ynetnews.com/jewish-world/article/byxkfnc9mx
- Algemeiner: https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/09/30/italys-main-opposition-pd-boycotts-antisemitism-bill-vote-split-left/
- ca.news.yahoo.com: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/michael-higgins-carney-liberals-grudgingly-100000818.html
- youtube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEEkfgxsBTA
- dorfonlaw.org: https://www.dorfonlaw.org/2026/09/my-supplemental-submission-to-us-civil.html
- nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2026/09/29/us-news/hochul-dodges-weighing-in-on-mamdanis-antisemitism-plan/
- thefp.com: https://www.thefp.com/p/mamdani-says-hell-fight-antisemitism-his-plan-says-otherwise
- cnn.com: https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/29/politics/video/new-york-city-antisemitism-zohran-mamdani-vrtc