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A Dearborn man is facing charges of ethnic intimidation stemming from what's being called an antisemitic incident at a synagogue in metro Detroit.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's office has charged a 35-year-old man after he allegedly made racist and intimidating threats outside of the Temple Beth El Synagogue in Bloomfield Hills on Friday.
The director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, John Johnson Jr., issued a statement yesterday (Monday, Dec 5) about the Temple Beth El incident:
"No one should have to worry about ethnic intimidation at their place of worship or anywhere else. On Friday, people in Oakland County’s Temple Beth El synagogue – including small children – came face to face with hate. While we are grateful no one was physically hurt in this incident, we must respond quickly and forcefully wherever and whenever people are targeted with hate. We are grateful for the quick response of the Dearborn Police Department in taking the individual responsible into custody, and for the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney for bringing these charges," wrote Director Johnson.
Michigan's Department of Civil Rights is charged with investigating and resolving complaints of discrimination and working to prevent discrimination through educational programs that promote voluntary compliance with civil rights laws.
A report issued this spring by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found that antisemitic incidents in America reached a high watermark in 2021 with a total of 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism reported to the ADL.
Attacks against Jewish institutions, including Jewish community centers (JCCs) and synagogues, were up by 61%, incidents at K-12 schools increased 106%, and anti-Jewish incidents on college campuses rose by 21% compared to 2020.