Trump's rhetoric and threat of mass deportation could trigger hate crime surge, City Council members warn
President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to conduct a mass deportation could trigger an avalanche of hate crimes, City Council members warned Thursday — but antisemitic hate crimes already are surging, including two incidents this week.Two Jewish students on the campus of DePaul University were assaulted Wednesday in “what appears to be a premeditated attack by individuals wearing masks,” according to the Anti-Defamation League Midwest.A few hours later, dozens of protesters surrounded the Chicago Loop Synagogue, 16 S. Clark St., and harassed members as they entered along with those gathered inside the temple sanctuary. Two people have been charged with criminal trespass in connection with that incident.Testifying Thursday at Council budget hearings, Chicago Commission on Human Relations Commissioner Nancy Andrade told alderpersons her agency is poised for a post-election surge in hate crimes and “hate incidents,” a possible prelude to hate crimes.“The climate right now in this country is one that we are well aware of. The results of this past presidential election can influence absolutely 100% the current climate that we live in right now,” Andrade said.Andrade noted a second "hate crime special advocate" is included in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $17.3 billion budget. "We stand even more prepared to address” any surge, she said.But Ald. Ray Lopez (15th), one of the Council’s most conservative members, said fears of “whatever is gonna happen" are misplaced. It's happening already, he said, referring to the attack at DePaul and the Oct. 26 shooting in West Ridge of an Orthodox Jewish man walking to synagogue.“We’ve seen time and time again at our universities and campuses here right now. I don’t have to wait 'til Trump takes [office]. Right now our Jewish population is under attack by the rhetoric that we’re hearing nationally and even locally in this very room," Lopez said, demanding to know what Andrade is doing to confront the problem on college campuses and public schools where "we know hatred is festering."Andrade said she does "outreach" to college campuses, but private schools have private security with discretion to say,"`Thank you. [But] no thank you.'"In Wednesday's incident at the Loop synagogue, a protester “vandalized the inside of the synagogue, causing property damage,” according to the ADL statement. A video posted on social media shows people dragging a struggling offender down an aisle of the sanctuary as some in the crowd jeered and clapped. An iconic stained-glass window overlooks the main worship area at the Chicago Loop Synagogue downtown.Kyle Brown / Sun-Times The ADL said it has “tracked a 300% increase” in the number of antisemitic incidents in Chicago over the last year, including “harassment, vandalism and violence.”“We can’t help but ask: Is this the new normal for Jews in Chicago? We hope not. … Enough is enough,” the statement said, vowing to start a dialogue with unidentified city leaders in the coming months to “engage in conversation, learn about the Jewish experience” and pinpoint ways to support hate crime victims.In the meantime, the ADL implored religious, civic and political leaders to “speak out against” antisemitism and respond with facts to “lies and misinformation being spread about the Jewish community.”Through Nov. 1, there were 223 hate crimes in Chicago so far this year, compared to 303 such incidents during all of last year. But the number of “religious-based” hate crimes, primarily antisemitism, was up — from 50 incidents all of last year to 72 this year, through Nov. 1.Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) warned that two hate crime advocates for the entire city may not be enough. She fears a post-election surge fueled by what she views as Trump’s hate-filled political rhetoric and the very real threat that he will carry out the largest deportation in the nation’s history.“Unfortunately, with the behavior that we’ve seen from folks kind of supporting President-elect Trump, I anticipate we’ll see more. We know what happened last time — from Muslim bans to [Immigrant and Customs Enforcement] raids and all kinds of threats to diverse people in our community,” Hadden said.“We were on our heels. We were seeing residents attack people. We’ve seen him stoke this type of hate at the beginning of the pandemic. Anti-Asian hate. I don’t want us to not be prepared," Hadden added."The election’s over. We know what’s coming. We know who we’re dealing with. … Our department needs to be prepared.”Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) said her diverse lakefront community is equally c
President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to conduct a mass deportation could trigger an avalanche of hate crimes, City Council members warned Thursday — but antisemitic hate crimes already are surging, including two incidents this week.
Two Jewish students on the campus of DePaul University were assaulted Wednesday in “what appears to be a premeditated attack by individuals wearing masks,” according to the Anti-Defamation League Midwest.
A few hours later, dozens of protesters surrounded the Chicago Loop Synagogue, 16 S. Clark St., and harassed members as they entered along with those gathered inside the temple sanctuary. Two people have been charged with criminal trespass in connection with that incident.
Testifying Thursday at Council budget hearings, Chicago Commission on Human Relations Commissioner Nancy Andrade told alderpersons her agency is poised for a post-election surge in hate crimes and “hate incidents,” a possible prelude to hate crimes.
“The climate right now in this country is one that we are well aware of. The results of this past presidential election can influence absolutely 100% the current climate that we live in right now,” Andrade said.
Andrade noted a second "hate crime special advocate" is included in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $17.3 billion budget. "We stand even more prepared to address” any surge, she said.
But Ald. Ray Lopez (15th), one of the Council’s most conservative members, said fears of “whatever is gonna happen" are misplaced. It's happening already, he said, referring to the attack at DePaul and the Oct. 26 shooting in West Ridge of an Orthodox Jewish man walking to synagogue.
“We’ve seen time and time again at our universities and campuses here right now. I don’t have to wait 'til Trump takes [office]. Right now our Jewish population is under attack by the rhetoric that we’re hearing nationally and even locally in this very room," Lopez said, demanding to know what Andrade is doing to confront the problem on college campuses and public schools where "we know hatred is festering."
Andrade said she does "outreach" to college campuses, but private schools have private security with discretion to say,"`Thank you. [But] no thank you.'"
In Wednesday's incident at the Loop synagogue, a protester “vandalized the inside of the synagogue, causing property damage,” according to the ADL statement. A video posted on social media shows people dragging a struggling offender down an aisle of the sanctuary as some in the crowd jeered and clapped.
The ADL said it has “tracked a 300% increase” in the number of antisemitic incidents in Chicago over the last year, including “harassment, vandalism and violence.”
“We can’t help but ask: Is this the new normal for Jews in Chicago? We hope not. … Enough is enough,” the statement said, vowing to start a dialogue with unidentified city leaders in the coming months to “engage in conversation, learn about the Jewish experience” and pinpoint ways to support hate crime victims.
In the meantime, the ADL implored religious, civic and political leaders to “speak out against” antisemitism and respond with facts to “lies and misinformation being spread about the Jewish community.”
Through Nov. 1, there were 223 hate crimes in Chicago so far this year, compared to 303 such incidents during all of last year. But the number of “religious-based” hate crimes, primarily antisemitism, was up — from 50 incidents all of last year to 72 this year, through Nov. 1.
Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) warned that two hate crime advocates for the entire city may not be enough. She fears a post-election surge fueled by what she views as Trump’s hate-filled political rhetoric and the very real threat that he will carry out the largest deportation in the nation’s history.
“Unfortunately, with the behavior that we’ve seen from folks kind of supporting President-elect Trump, I anticipate we’ll see more. We know what happened last time — from Muslim bans to [Immigrant and Customs Enforcement] raids and all kinds of threats to diverse people in our community,” Hadden said.
“We were on our heels. We were seeing residents attack people. We’ve seen him stoke this type of hate at the beginning of the pandemic. Anti-Asian hate. I don’t want us to not be prepared," Hadden added.
"The election’s over. We know what’s coming. We know who we’re dealing with. … Our department needs to be prepared.”
Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) said her diverse lakefront community is equally concerned about the “promise of mass deportations” by Trump.
Manaa-Hoppenworth recalled a conversation she had with the principal of her children’s school after Trump’s first victory in 2016.
“I said, `How’s it going?’ And she said, `Families are just disappearing. They don’t tell us they’re leaving. They’re just gone,'" Manaa Hoppenworth recalled, adding: "We’re very concerned about that” happening again.
What's Your Reaction?
