Florida law stopping hate acts signed by Ron DeSantis

Cracking down on antisemitic acts in Florida, all the way from Isreal, after a new law protects people by hardening punishment for antisemitism.

Antisemitic flyers, like those found in Miromar Outlets, will be considered litter moving forward. So law enforcement can do something about the people spreading them.

Someone who throws a flyer on someone’s lawn to intimidate or threaten them could face a misdemeanor. If they throw the flyer and it has a credible threat, it will be considered a felony.

Unfortunately, Southwest Florida has experienced antisemitic incidents as recently as March.

Hateful flyers circulated in the Park Shore neighborhood in Naples back in June 2022.

And most recently, Maron Mark Raymond, 51, was arrested by the Cape Coral Police Department for throwing bricks at a Jewish Chabad Center in Cape Coral and smashing a car in the parking lot.

Rabbi Nicole Luna, with Temple Beth El, said antisemitic incidents are happening far too often in her community, hoping the new bill can mitigate those crimes.

“It is intimidating, it is harassment, it is scary, and we certainly wanna feel like the people who did this will have some sort of consequence that they know it’s not ok to intimidate people just because they’re Jewish,” Rabbi Luna said.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 269, giving law enforcement new the ability to punish those involved in antisemitic incidents and those who target religious communities.

WINK News spoke with Rabbi Minkowitz, a Rabbi at the Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida, to get his reaction to the governor signing the bill. He said he’s thankful the governor and law enforcement have their backs.

“I think that it’s really, really great people in our community feel the government is backing them and protecting them and making them feel safe and secure, you know, life you wanna feel safe and secure,” Rabbi Minkowitz said.

And Rabbi Minkowitz has a message for anyone considering committing a hate crime.

“We’re living in Florida. We’re so blessed. The weather is good, and there’s beautiful parks and beautiful beaches, go out and enjoy life. I mean, why you make trouble and bother other people. It’s sad people, generally speaking, my experiences when they bother other people, they’re miserable themselves inside,” Rabbi Minkowitz said. “My heart goes out to them. They should find peace and happiness. They shouldn’t have to go out and bother other people.”

The new law also prohibits people from putting hateful messages on buildings. It also creates a new trespass offense for someone who goes onto a state college or university campus to threaten or intimidate another person. And is warned by the institution to leave, and refuses to do so.