Within hours of a troubling telephonic trolling of a Walnut Creek City Council meeting, signage ostensibly left by a California skinhead group and referencing former mayor Kevin Wilk appeared on a Lafayette overpass.
Two bedsheet banners, one pointedly addressing Wilk and challenging the Walnut Creek council member to take down the messaging, the other referencing the U.S.S. Liberty strafing of 1967 – were left on the El Curtola overpass straddling Highway 24. One of the signs was signed with the name of a California white supremacist group.
This site was contacted by several members concerned by the banners and the message they bore. Both banners were shredded by persons unknown soon after a Lafayette police officer drove by the site.
No one took credit for that action though a number of callers did say they were troubled by the messaging and found it offensive.
In an apparently organized effort Wednesday night, at least three separate callers phoned in to the public comment segment of the city’s meeting – making antisemitic comments before shocked council members could cut them off.
Councilmember Wilk, who is Jewish, told television reporters the trolling incident and comments were “stunning.”
A California white supremacist group? Please identify as I am quite curious.
So, if true, would you find anti-Semitic messaging on a public thoroughfare objectionable. You didn’t say.
I would find it reprehensible.
And I would still be interested in who they are. Do they have a name? Are they organized? And they are not necessarily right wing. College campuses are stacked with left wing anti-Semitism. Check the commencement speech from CUNY law school. Vile. And fairly common on college campuses. And of extreme left wing origins.
Yeah, damn them. They do teach critical thinking, analytical thinking, and thinking generally at public universities. Certainly, there is zealotry on both sides of longstanding conflicts such as we observe in the Middle East. That said, this was a local attack ON A JEWISH INDIVIDUAL, allegedly by a group of skinheads, thirty somethings. No connection to New Yock or any law school has been reported.
I don’t know what a skinhead is, really, but this sounds pretty fascist and cowardly to someone educated at America’s finest public university.
As for their identity, I’m sure they have come up with a clever name and a cause celebre. It seems immaterial. I couldn’t tell you what the Oklahoma City bombers called themselves. We just remember them as American terrorists.
Editor: You had no legitimate reason to remove my post after accepting it. I asked a perfectly reasonable followup question of Mr. Loomis which he could answer or ignore. Why are you interceding? I can’t think of a more important or relevant topic of discussion, but I didn’t raise it, you did, with this report.
Reader: We didn’t.
It did disappear, and I didn’t do it.
Either did we…
Who gave these hateful people permission to spew their hate? All those, the many, many who are NOT objecting?
Please tell us more about your anti first ammendment stance.
You misread it. It refers to those who are complacent and believe they have no role in voicing objections. It refers to the cowardly enablers of the demagogues who are embracing autocracy. One such demagogue entertained Ye and Nick Fuentes recently suggesting that he is just fine with people who espouse white supremacist and anti-Semitic tropes.
Well, as of 9:30 PM, I confess the AYES have it. This was not an objectionable event based upon the very large, very silent, very acquiescent non-response. I am a super minority reliving dark times.
@David – we will say that we have been very surprised by the response/reaction to this post – both here and on our social media pages.
Learning something new every day is not always a good thing.
NEWS24/680
Very surprised? The Right Wing description is disingenuous. Spoken from a left winger.
Well, right wing, left wing is often not disambiguating when it comes to a specific subject, is it? On the other hand, hate speech, especially something as old as anti-Semitic hate speech, is pretty bleeping clear in its meaning and portent.
So, I ask you, would you find anti-Semitic messaging on a public thoroughfare objectionable. I noticed that you didn’t say.
What is anti Semitic about raising awareness for an international incident
Sorry, I didn’t know that the bed sheets in Lafayette were an international incident. The boat attack was in 1967. Not exactly top of mind today. Nor tomorrow.
Yeah, after 24 hours, still no objection. No condemnation. Maybe, in your understanding of things, there were “very fine people on both sides”.
It might help readers to have a description of what the article refers to as “the USS Liberty strafing of 1967.” The evident conclusion of the 2002 BBC Documentary “Dead in the Water” (based on communications from the Israeli pilot, testimony of American sailors, and other evidence), available on YouTube, is that the Israeli fighter intentionally attacked the U.S. spy ship in international waters to stop transmission of intelligence during the Six Day War that could possibly be intercepted by the Egyptians, and that then President Johnson helped cover up the incident as an accident (not clear exactly what Johnson believed). Some sources believe that the initial hit and subsequent torpedo boat attack involved mistaken identity, despite a huge American flag and American insignia on the ship. Thirty-four American sailors were killed, many more injured, and it was only through extreme American heroism that the Liberty was not sunk. American crew members who survived were transferred, required to stay silent, and had their careers negatively impacted. It was only decades later that their heroism was recognized, although even then, not at a White House ceremony. Over the years, Americans from all sides of the political spectrum who are familiar with the incident (most are not) have had concerns about what happened and the subsequent cover-up, albeit from different perspectives.
Well stated.
This is all conjecture and a dog whistle. Your support of anti-Semitism seems clear.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding the USS Liberty incident, as is the usual case with political matters, and more so these days; for quick reference, view https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident. Most will draw their own conclusions based on their bias. What is unfortunately noteworthy is the amount of pro-skinhead rhetoric that is now surfacing in this county. Having viewed the video of the Walnut Creek meeting, one can perceive that this was a coordinated effort to have a team call in to the Zoom meeting; each of the three callers gave their elevator speech, with the third caller having the most time to give his opinion. Am inclined to believe that a similar approach is being carried out online.
The USS Liberty incident is an old event, dating back to the last century, specifically 1967. Why raise this matter as an issue of importance in this century? (rhetorical question)
What is more important, is why is this group coming forth in this county, how many of them do we need to worry about, where are they based, and will our local and state leaders protect us from the possibility of domestic terrorism attacks, or are we entering a phase of political terrorism in this county where we are all to fend for ourselves?
Good questions, well posed… thanks, Hank.
They are loud and proud. Look at the comments on this article. I saw a red truck in Costco proudly displaying multiple right-wing and Nazi symbols just last week. This is appalling.
Was curious and just checked. The USS Liberty incident occurred on June 8, 1967, so this was an anniversary, likely accounting for the timing. Use of that incident as an example of special accommodations that the U.S. makes towards Israel, in the context of criticizing Israel or its human rights record (not unlike criticism of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, or Poland), would constitute legitimate political speech. However, the Lafayette incident appears to involve hate speech and/or threats of violence against Jews rather than mere political criticism of Israel (which is a foreign country, not a religion). As such, the Lafayette incident is dangerous and disturbing.
Thanks to all providing comments, cites, and context. I don’t worry about what nut jobs afraid of losing their relevance in the world have to say via spray paint and mom’s old linens.
I’m not defending this whatsoever!
But something just occurred to me: we’re always ready to label things as
” right wing”.. but when other crazies of the opposite spectrum do bad things you never hear the label “left wing” mentioned.
I Agree. I think “extremist” without left or right wing labels is the way to go. That cuts through the politics and helps us to focus on the problem.
Well there aren’t really any left-wing Nazis…
True, and there are what some consider left wing extremists too like antifa, and ELF. Anyway, that’s not the point of this hate speech on the bridge which should not be tolerated. I’d like to know more about the perps.
These right wing comments reflect so poorly on the area.
No, the neo-Nazis and their enablers are a distinct minority. They have just been puffed up by this moment in history and have come out of the cellar. If no one objects, they will walk among the living for a while. The acquiescence, the complacency, THAT reflects poorly on the area.
Agree
There’s usually some MAGA message at that spot, so it’s known as a rightwing posting spot. That they are pivoting to antisemitism is disturbing.
Disturbing, but not surprising.
In 2023. Unbelievable. These people are here – they’re playing to win and they are an election away from taking us all back to 1939. You can sit back and let it happen or you can get in the game.
My gf and I saw these guys walking north on Iron Horse Trail toward Pleasant Hill BART, just after they hung the banners on the Ygnacio overpass. Dressed in casual slacks and sports shirts and wearing masks, they looked alike. Five little white guys, a cute drill team! Maybe average age of 30 or so. Lean to the right, lean to the left, sis boom bah!
Sorry, that last message referred to banners posted in Walnut Creek, Saturday 19 November. Not to the El Curtola overpass signage. Same guys, my guess.
We gotcha. Thanks for the post.
NEWS24/680
What makes this right wing?
You tell me. What is right wing in 2023? What is conservative? War in Iraq? Control over women’s bodies? Is that small government thinking? I perceive no ideology, just cult of personality worship, just a total and complete meltdown of rational thinking. And, support for suppressing legitimate VOTING. Maintaining minority rule through gerrymandering, the electoral college system, and voter suppression IS the policy.
Contrast that with building infrastructure and universal health care and supporting voting rights and democracy vs autocracy. Contrast that with actual policy ideas.
These descriptors have no meaning. Up is down because people are gullible and lazy.
“In an apparently organized effort Wednesday night, at least three separate callers phoned in to the public comment segment of the city’s meeting – making antisemitic comments before shocked council members could cut them off.”
Is this legal? Was this legal? Were threats made? On what basis do you cut off speech, even hate speech? I see that their lawyer made a weak attempt to explain the rules, but I can’t evaluate content that is redacted.
The “antisemitic” language called in is not provided, and I understand the dilemma in that, but the bed sheets are also redacted. What is the offense? It has all been redacted. Who did this? Also REDACTED.
Is this report incomplete?
I saw a reference to Wilik, a star of David, a challrnge (take it down or take this down?) with one of the letters in the shape of the Nazi SS letter, and it was signed by a skinhead group I can’t remember the exact words. That was one sheet. The other one had the name of the ship that was sunk with Jew Terror or Jewish Terror, something about US troops and the date. Seemed pretty pro Nazi anti Semitic to me but I was just passing by. Not surprised someone shredded it.
Scary shit! I haven’t seen it. That’s why we need to stand tall and stand together.
I mean the idea of it scary. If it’s 5 misguided cellar dwellers with victim issues, it’s just more mental health crisis.
Anti-semitism and anti-zionism are not the same thing
OK, and that helps how?
This report is about a personal attack on a Jew in Walnut Creek, Councilmember Wilk. That’s pretty far removed from the Israeli/Palestinian mess in the Middle East unless you are some kind of fanatic about someone being Jewish, which is kind of the definition of anti-Semitism, no? This targeting of individuals (Jew, school board member, librarian, local election worker) is despicable and the opposite of brave. It must be opposed.