Anti-Semitic fliers left in West Nashville neighborhood

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Residents of a West Nashville neighborhood had a disturbing wakeup Wednesday when they found anti-Semitic fliers in their driveways.

The fliers were left in dozens of driveways in Nashville’s West End.

“I saw one and it just caught my eye. I picked it up and I saw what it was talking about, and I was like, wow, this is not something I’m buying,” one Nashville man who lives in the neighborhood said. “It’s sad to think that after all we’ve been through, especially over the past couple years, it seems like we could get along just a little better.”

WSMV was sent pictures of the fliers, which proclaim Disney is grooming children under Jewish leadership.

They also say the Russia-Ukraine war, gun control objectives and the fight against COVID are also led by Jewish people.

“What a waste of time, I mean, wrong place, wrong neighborhood. This is a neighborhood where people get along great. We get along with the churches and the synagogues in our neighborhood,” the West Nashville resident said. “By making sure this garbage got off the street fast was the quickest way we could say we support you.”

In a press release, a coalition of city leaders called the messages “disturbing anti-Semitic propaganda.”

The messages were distributed less than 0.5 miles from two West End synagogues.

“I have a neighbor across the street a couple doors down and I know they’re a Jewish family,” one Nashvillian said. “And so I wanted to get everything off their block so their kids didn’t have to see any of it and so their kids didn’t have to manage that.”

The following is a statement from Mayor John Cooper, Vice Mayor Jim Shulman, Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake, Council Members Kathleen Murphy and Thom Druffel, The Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee and the Gordon Jewish Community Center:

“Hateful, divisive rhetoric and antisemitism have no place in Nashville, TN.

“Anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise and continue to expand throughout the country. Painfully, Nashville is not immune. Nashville residents both Jewish and non-Jewish have been confronted by anti-Semitic messages not only on social media, but also at their homes and in their communities.

“Mayor Cooper has directed his administration to work closely with leaders in the Jewish community to investigate and respond to these incidents. Chief Drake and the entire Metro Nashville Public Department remain vigilant and are coordinating appropriate responses at key Jewish landmarks and throughout the city without further emboldening the individuals and groups involved in spreading these disgusting messages.

“This disturbing anti-Semitic propaganda is similar in tone and style to that used for generations to target the Jewish people and paint them as the enemy. Once Jews are defined and identified as the enemy, anything done against Jews can be justified.

“As a community, we will not tolerate these actions. We stand united in support of the Jewish community, and against the extremism and hatred of a small but dangerous faction of our city.

“Thank you to our Nashville friends and neighbors who have already spoken out and joined us in condemning this activity. We will not surrender to these dangerous and damaging efforts intended to divide and distort.

“We will not stand idle in the face of treacherous and threatening attempts to sow chaos and fear.

“We have and will continue to call out this alarming rhetoric, and respond by promoting civility, inclusion, and respect for all our friends and neighbors in Nashville.”