Extremism, Anti-Semitism In Connecticut: 58 Incidents In 2019

CONNECTICUT — In 2019, there were 58 incidents of extremism and anti-Semitism in Connecticut according to the Anti-Defamation League.

The figure for 2019 decreased sharply from the 103 incidents reported in our state during 2018.

The occurrences in Connecticut were among the 4,015 examples of extremist and anti-Semitic incidents that happened nationwide in 2019. The figure reported for 2019 is up almost 32 percent from the 3,052 incidents reported in 2018, according to the ADL.

Here is a collection of the incidents in Connecticut that the non-governmental organization included in its registry:

• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 29, in Hartford
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "America is not for sale," "Reclaim America," "America first," and "Life liberty victory."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 29, in Naugatuck
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Reclaim America," "America first," "America is not for sale," and "Life of our nation liberty of our people victory of the American spirit."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 28, in East Hartford
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "America first," "Reclaim America," "America is not for sale," and "Not stolen conquered."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 24, in Oxford
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Life of our nation liberty of our nation victory of the American spirit," "America first," and "One nation against invasion."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 20, in Middletown
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed business cards that included the group's logo and propaganda that read: "Nationalism not globalism" and "Defend America."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 19, in Middletown
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed recruitment propaganda at Wadsworth Falls State Park.
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 14, in Cromwell
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Embrace your identity" and "Nationalism not globalism."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 6, in Waterbury
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed American flag themed stickers with the QR code for Patriot Front and propaganda that read: "Life liberty victory," "America is not for sale," and "Better dead than red."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Dec. 1, in Woodbury
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "United we stand," "Life liberty victory," "Better dead than red," "Life of our nation liberty of our people victory of the American spirit," "Reclaim America," "Revolution is tradition," "Not stolen conquered," and "Reject poison."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 29, in Monroe
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Reject poison," "One nation against invasion," "Revolution is tradition," and "Not stolen conquered."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 29, in Southbury
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Life of our nation liberty of our people victory of the American spirit," "Not stolen conquered," "Revolution is tradition," and "America first."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 23, in New Haven
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Embrace your identity" and "Nationalism not globalism."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 22, in Waterbury
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Not stolen conquered," "Better dead than red," and "United we stand."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment / White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 19, in Greenwich
  • New Jersey European Heritage Association, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "No communism in America," "Remember the USS Liberty 1967 Israeli attack against America," "Don't believe (((FAKE))) news," and "Deport all 20 million illegal aliens."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 14, in Beacon Falls
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "To ourselves and our posterity" and "Life liberty victory."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 14, in Southbury
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Not stolen conquered," "Reject poison," "Reclaim America," and "America is not for sale."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 11, in New Haven
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Nationalism not globalism."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Nov. 2, in Danbury
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda at Western Connecticut State University that read: "United we stand," "America is not for sale," "Life of our nation, liberty of our people, victory of the American spirit," "Better dead than red," and "Reclaim America."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: November, in Darien
  • A student at Darien High School discovered that a school laptop had been vandalized with a swastika drawing.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: November, in Glastonbury
  • A wall in a school auditorium was vandalized with swastika carvings.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: November, in Bridgeport
  • Restaurant bathroom vandalized with the message "KILL ALL JEWS."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Oct. 4, in Hartford
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda at Trinity College that read: "Revolution is tradition," "Not stolen conquered," and "Better dead than red."
• White Supremacist Event: Oct. 3, in Hartford
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, held a flash demonstration in Hartford, Connecticut. The group held a banner on an overpass that read: "Revolution is tradition."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: October, in Guilford
  • Jewish student's classmate told him that Hitler and the Nazi's did not murder enough Jews.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: October, in Bridgeport
  • A synagogue received two bomb threats.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: October, in Darien
  • A swastika was drawn onto a desk at Middlesex Middle School.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: October, in Norwalk
  • A classroom chair at Brien McMahon High School was vandalized with a drawing of a swastika.
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Sept. 29, in New Britain
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda at Central Connecticut State University that read: "Not stolen conquered," "America first," and "Revolution is tradition."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Sept. 23, in Middletown
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda at Wesleyan University that read: "Nationalism not globalism," "Defend America," and "Protect American workers."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Sept. 17, in Middletown
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Diversity destroys nations" and "Defend America."
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Sept. 1, in Putnam
  • Patriot Front, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read: "Life liberty and the pursuit of victory," "Not stolen conquered," "Better dead than red," and "Will your speech be hate speech?"
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: September, in Fairfield
  • Anti-Semitic postcard sent to Jewish individual.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: September, in Hamden
  • Vandalism that included anti-Semitic words and swastikas were drawn on stalls in two student bathrooms at Hamden High School.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: September, in Westport
  • In multiple locations graffiti of swastikas, and Star of David next to slurs, were found in Staples High School.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: September, in Salisbury
  • Anti-Semitic graffiti found in dorm of college preparatory school.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: September, in Darien
  • A swastika and a star of David were etched into a stall bathroom at Middlesex Middle School.
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Aug. 13, in New Haven
  • American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda at Yale University that read: "Embrace your identity" and "Protect foreign workers."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: August, in Greenwich
  • Anti-Semitic letters that claimed Jews were trying to take guns away from black people were sent to members of a gun reform non-profit.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: August, in Stamford
  • Anti-Semitic letters that claimed Jews were trying to take guns away from black people were sent to members of a gun reform non-profit.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: August, in Guilford
  • Anti-Semitic letters that claimed Jews were trying to take guns away from black people were sent to members of a gun reform non-profit.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: August, in Newtown
  • White supremacist symbols and "Remember the Liberty" graffitied on synagogue.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: June, in Wallingford
  • Middle school-aged girl received a Snapchat image from a classmate holding a gun with the caption "Kill all Jews."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: June, in New Haven
  • A thirteen-year-old Jewish girl was walking to synagogue and was asked by a driver passing by if she was Jewish. The girl ignored the driver and he subsequently spat at her.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: May, in Norwalk
  • Confidential
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: May, in Stamford
  • During soccer practice, an 11-year-old Jewish player heard another player say, "I'm going to kill all the Jews with measles."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: May, in New Haven
  • A man in a truck reportedly screamed "Heil Hitler" at two girls walking on the street.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: March, in Cromwell
  • A non-Jewish student did the Hitler salute at a Jewish student.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: March, in Bridgeport
  • A synagogue received a threatening and anti-Semitic email to their general inbox.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: March, in Hamden
  • A swastika was drawn on a student's homework assignment.
• White Supremacist Propaganda: Feb. 17, in Storrs
  • Identity Evropa, an alt right group, posted stickers featuring their group logo at the University of Connecticut.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Harassment: February, in Cromwell
  • Jewish high school student victim of anti-Semitic harassment in class by peers who tell her to not be "such a f---ing Jew."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: February, in Cromwell
  • School desks vandalized with swastika drawings.
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: February, in Salisbury
  • Swastikas and the word "Jew" were drawn on school chairs.
• Extremist/Police Shootout: Jan. 1, in Danbury
  • Paul Arbitelle was shot and killed by Danbury police after he allegedly charged at an officer with a knife during a confrontation at an apartment complex. Arbitelle, who pleaded guilty and went to prison in 2011 for a racially motivated assault of a black man, had several white supremacist tattoos including a swastika and the words "white power."
• Anti-Semitic Incident - Vandalism: January, in Bridgeport
  • A swastika was painted on the front door of Cathedral of St. Augustine.

The Anti-Defamation League tracks the incidents through news and media reports, government documents (including police reports), victim reports, extremist-related sources and the Center on Extremism investigations, according to a “Frequently Asked Questions” section on the ADL’s website.

The Anti-Defamation League's interactive map includes information on incidents involving anti-Semitism, white supremacist propaganda, white supremacist events, extremist-police shootouts, terrorist plots and attacks and extremist murders.

Along with providing the first-of-its-kind interactive and customizable map detailing extremist and anti-Semitic incidents around the nation, the ADL also provides information on the annual quantity of white supremacist propaganda that gets spread throughout the country.

The Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism reported 2,713 cases of circulated propaganda by white supremacist groups in 2019, compared with 1,214 cases in 2018.

Oren Segal, director of the League’s Center on Extremism, pointed to the prominence of more subtly biased rhetoric in some white supremacist material, emphasizing “patriotism.”

By emphasizing language “about empowerment, without some of the blatant racism and hatred,” Segal told the Associated Press, white supremacists are using a “tactic to try to get eyes onto their ideas in a way that’s cheap, and that brings it to a new generation of people who are learning how to even make sense out of these messages.”

The Anti-Defamation League, which was founded in 1913 to combat anti-Semitism as well as other biases, describes its mission as “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.”

You can find the complete interactive map on the ADL’s website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.