Dozens of bags containing anti-Semitic flyers and what may have been 'rat poison' were discovered scattered around Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood on Monday morning. The incident was reported in central Lincoln Park, near Geneva Terrace and Belden.
43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen confirmed that his office was alerted about the flyers and immediately notified the Chicago Police Department and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as some of the flyers bore the ADL logo.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in the area. Alderman Knudsen strongly condemned the hateful acts, stating that those responsible will be held accountable by his office and law enforcement. He emphasized that threats against the Jewish community are repulsive and will not be tolerated.
Chicago police reported finding nine clear zip lock bags on vehicles and doorways in the 500 block of W. Belden. The ADL expressed concern over the presence of an unknown substance along with the flyers.
The ADL's Center on Extremism (COE) noted a 30% increase in anti-Semitic propaganda in 2023, with Illinois ranking 11th for most incidents nationwide. The rise in anti-Semitism has been observed in the U.S. and globally following the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which led to the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
