Newsom: $15M Fund For Security At Religious, Nonprofit Facilities

POWAY, CA – Responding to Saturday's shooting at a Poway synagogue, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday he will earmark $15 million to fund increased security for religious and nonprofit organizations that can be targets of hate-motivated violence.

"We all must call out hate -- against any and all communities -- and act to defend those targeted for their religious beliefs, who they love or how they identify," Newsom said in a statement. "An attack against any community is an attack against our entire state -- who we are and what we stand for."

Newsom said the proposed funding will be included in his May budget revision. According to his office, the money will be directed to the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which is administered by the governor's Office of Emergency Services and helps "nonprofit organizations that are targets of hate-motivated violence improve security at their facilities."

Newsom specifically cited the Chabad of Poway shooting, during which one woman was killed and three others injured, including a rabbi who lost his right index finger in the attack. He also noted a rise in hate crimes in California, citing figures from the state Attorneys General's Office that show there were 1,093 reported hate crimes in 2017, up 17 percent from the previous year.

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--City News Service