Police in Ormond Beach are searching for a person or group that has been distributing "antisemitic propaganda" on flyers throughout the city.


What You Need To Know

  • Officials say someone has been distributing "antisemitic propaganda" throughout the city

  • They say the flyers denounced Jews and African Americans

  • Police say they have opened an investigation into the source of the flyers

Investigators say the flyers denounced both Jews and African Americans.

Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey condemned the flyers in a statement Sunday.

“I want to make it clear that the Ormond Beach Police Department is deeply troubled by the recent distribution of antisemitic propaganda throughout our city," he said. "This behavior is unacceptable, and we strongly denounce any form of hate or discrimination toward any individual or community.”

Officials did not release any information about how many flyers they believe were distributed.

Michele Band, who moved to Ormond Beach with her family more than three years ago, says she got a disturbing call Sunday from her daughter — who was one of many who received a flyer.

“It was being disseminated, this flyer, in both my daughters' neighborhood," Band said. "One specifically said it was in every driveway in her neighborhood."

Band showed Spectrum News 13 a copy of the flyer, which she says talks about immigration.

“It’s suggesting that any immigration issue is a result of Jews promoting mass immigration enough — with their own interests in mind — and basically do away with whites in this country,” she said.

The flyer hit especially close to home for Band because her husband is Jewish.

The flyers also asked homeowners to go to a website.

“I looked at it and it’s very anti-Jewish and anti-Black and suggests that they are somehow in on it together somehow, in order to diminish the dominance or patriarchy of our country,” Band said.

Police are asking people to check their doorbell cameras to see if the individual, or individuals, distributing the flyers was caught on video. Officials have asked that residents send any video, photos or information connected to the flyers to Ormond Beach Police Cpl. Jeremy Smith at jeremy.smith@ormondbeach.org.

Officials say this is not the first Florida community to see this happen — last year, a similar flyer was distributed in Lake County.

The Anti-Defamation League reported that that in 2021, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. hit a record high of 2,717 — a 34% increase from the year before.