Neo-Nazi 'Day Of Hate' Sets Rockland County On Alert

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — An upcoming "National Day of Hate" planned by neo-Nazi groups has put many New Yorkers on edge, though experts stress they haven't seen credible threats.

Warnings about the antisemitic "Day of Hate" scheduled for Saturday spread this week among Jewish media outlets and local community members.

The so-called Day of Hate began with an online post by a tiny neo-Nazi group in Iowa, a spokesperson with the Anti-Defamation League told Patch. White supremacist groups have since circulated it online on social media sites such as Telegram that are often used by them, the spokesperson said.

One such Telegram message is shared on a leaked NYPD alert. "Shock the masses with banner drops, stickers, fliers, and graffiti," the message states, in one of its few stretches that doesn't include overt hateful language.

The overt hatred worried Rockland County Legislator Aaron Wieder, who issued a statement Friday:

It is unfortunate that we still live in a world where too many people hate other people simply because of their religion, color, ethnicity, and so on. In just the past few days we have seen groups of people spouting hatred of Jews, including people in New York City who handed out anti-Semitic pamphlets outside a play about a lynched American Jew and others who verbally assaulted Jews in Florida, including references to the crematoriums where the remains of millions of Jews were placed during the Holocaust.

Now there is a day of hate planned for Saturday, Feb. 25 and the focus appears to be Jews, although any other group of people not liked by these would-be perpetrators is also a potential target.

Here in Rockland, people should feel safe because our law enforcement has already been busy responding to the situation. Sheriff Louis Falco, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Ramapo Police Department, the Spring Valley Police Department, city, state and all local partners are on top of matters. Sheriff Falco says that law enforcement as a whole is in a heightened alert and taking pro active measures with additional patrols throughout the weekend. They are also working with the Rockland County Intelligence Unit monitoring potential hate sites.

I want to thank Sheriff Falco and each and every one of these law enforcement partners for all they are doing to make sure our families are safe and that when we go to bed tonight and tomorrow night, we – and our children - can sleep soundly. That when we go to Shabbat services, we can feel safe as we offer our prayers and gratitude to God.

The ADL spokesperson stressed that any real threat is unlikely. "We’re not aware of any threat of violence or anything," he said. "This appears to be a national day of Nazi propaganda, which is unfortunate in 2023."

The "Day of Hate" likely will fizzle or be small, but that doesn't mean it is a hoax, the ADL spokesperson said.