Threats Against Jewish Seattle Council Candidate Sparks Probe

SEATTLE, WA — FBI officials are monitoring threats made on the extremist website 8chan against a Jewish candidate running in the District 2 Seattle City Council race, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

According to screenshots saved by the Middle East Media Research Institute, a June 10 post on 8chan used explicit language to ask "What is the move?" in regard to Hoffman's candidacy. The post also pointed out that Hoffman flies an Israeli flag in front of his home.

Some responses called for Hoffman's death. The man accused of carrying out a shooting at a Poway, Calif., synagogue in late March used 8chan to post an anti-Jewish manifesto before the shooting.

"Literally kill [the candidate]. Burn the flag along with [the candidate], dead or alive," one of the responses on the 8chan post about Hoffman read.

"We are aware of the situation and are in regular contact with local authorities, and will take appropriate action if information develops to suggest a potential federal violation," FBI Seattle spokeswoman Jillian Voigt said in a statement Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the American Jewish Committee, one of the nation's oldest Jewish advocacy groups, formally asked for law enforcement to investigate threats made against Ari Hoffman. AJC also asked Mayor Jenny Durkan to condemn any anti-Semitic attack against Hoffman.

"This all happened over a Jewish holiday, so I did not know what was going on and came home from synagogue to find a card from SPD on my door. After the holiday I had multiple calls from SPD and emails from [the Middle East Media Research Institute] and others alerting me to what was going on," Hoffman told Patch via email Wednesday.

Hoffman has complained of anti-Semitic threats against his campaign in the past, but the 8chan threat appears to be the most explicit so far.

Last week, Patch reported on 911 calls Hoffman had made over campaign signs being stolen in his Seward Park neighborhood. Hoffman has also asked for Seattle police protection at campaign events.