Cops Probe Racist Virtual Invasion Of West Orange Council Meeting

WEST ORANGE, NJ — “Depraved. Bigoted. Inexcusable.” These are some of the words being used to describe the hate-filled, racist “Zoom bomb” attack on the West Orange Town Council’s latest meeting – which is now under investigation by authorities.

Several callers blitzed the West Orange Town Council meeting on Tuesday with antisemitic and racist comments. The calls were made in reaction to a proposed resolution supporting a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war.

The resolution was eventually tabled by the council.

The callers – who identified themselves by fake names – made offensive and disjointed tirades against the Jewish community, including denial of the Holocaust. When council president Bill Rutherford asked them not to use hate speech, he was repeatedly called a racial slur.

The meeting was held remotely via Zoom due to a snowstorm.

Normally, the town records council meetings and posts links to the videos afterwards. But this time is an exception, a township spokesperson told Patch on Thursday:

“Please be advised that the West Orange Township Council meeting from February 13, 2024 held on Zoom will not be posted to our YouTube channel. The township has met the legal obligation of holding and noticing an open public meeting. The video recording on YouTube is provided only as a courtesy for the viewing convenience of our residents. Due to the inflammatory rhetoric and inappropriate remarks made during public comment we exercise this right. This inexcusable behavior will not be tolerated or put on public exhibit to encourage others to use this as a platform to spew their own hatred-filled agenda. The West Orange Police Department – in cooperation with federal, state and Essex County law enforcement partners – are actively investigating the matter to take further actions. We anticipate subsequent meetings to be posted as usual, but will take a similar course of action if necessary. Thank you in advance for your understanding.”

In the wake of the meeting, West Orange for Humanity – a local pro-Palestine advocacy group – bashed the callers for their “depraved, antisemitic and racist hate speech.”

Advocates alleged that the offensive calls may be part of a larger “campaign of hate” that has been taking place in other U.S. cities, such as Anacortes, WA, Calabasas, CA, Winthrop, MA, and Iowa City.

Meanwhile, community leaders and elected officials continue to condemn the hate speech that took place at the latest council meeting.

“Hate-based, bigoted and racist speech has no place in America,” U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. said.

Payne, who represents West Orange in the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey, said it is a shame that such “vile and offensive speech” erupted during a town council meeting.

“I know the residents of West Orange understand and support diversity and even diverse viewpoints in their community,” the congressman said. “It is one reason I am proud to represent them in Congress. But what happened February 13 goes beyond free speech – and it is rightfully outlawed nationwide.”

“I’m sorry this event happened to such a great community, and I hope the racist, non-resident attackers are apprehended quickly and brought to justice,” Payne added.

The West Orange African Heritage Organization also denounced the Zoom bombing.

“As a community based organization in our town for 25 years, the executive board members of the West Orange African Heritage Organization are appalled at the vile, abusive, insulting, and racially offensive epithets spewed by a public speaker at the recent Zoom town council meeting,” the group wrote.

“We are particularly outraged by the racial slurs directed to council president Rutherford,” the group continued. “We ask the mayor and town officials to publicly denounce this bigotry and to live up to the motto, 'Hate Has No Home Here' and make these words apply to all West Orange residents. Therefore, we call for an immediate investigation.”

Others who have condemned the racist attack include the West Orange Human Relations Commission, which said that in addition to being “deeply inappropriate and harmful to members of our community,” the incident may have a chilling effect on residents who want to be active in their local government.

“We reiterate our commitment to doing what we can to ensure racism, sexism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and all forms of hate have no home in our society,” the group said.

• See Related: Bigots 'Zoom Bomb' West Orange Town Council Meeting With Hate Speech

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