White Supremacist Once Again Released From Prison, Pittsburgh Jewish Community Urged To Be Vigilant
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - For the past two decades, white supremacist Hardy Lloyd has spewed antisemitism hate, and has three times been sentenced to prison after espousing the murder of Jewish people and police officers. And he's once again been released, causing concern for the Jewish Federation Of Greater Pittsburgh.
He returned to prison last year for violating his probation, dropping neo-Nazi leaflets throughout the city's East End and posting a call for violence in the wake of the city's proposed assault weapons ban: "Anyone who supports such laws must be targeted, and their families murdered. Lone Wolves GET BUSY."
In another post, he directed these Lone Wolves to Squirrel Hill: "Target: Jew Hill."
"Anybody who is calling for action is certainly somebody who is more of threat than somebody who is sharing views on social media," said Shawn Brokos, the director of community security at the Jewish Federation.
After being released Tuesday from a federal prison in West Virginia, Lloyd will be spending the next three months at the Renewal work-release center downtown. And Brokos is urging the community to be on the lookout for any antisemitic activity.
"The notion is to be vigilant, to be mindful, but also to feel empowered because we've done such great work trying to build and protect our community," Brokos said.
Especially since the Tree of Life massacre, synagogues and Jewish organizations have undergone active threat training and taken other measures to make their buildings more secure. At his last sentencing hearing, Lloyd apologized to the community, conceded he has a mental illness and vowed to get help.
"I would hope that he is getting mental health counseling, and the appropriate rehabilitation, but as a community, we need to be vigilant. We have no way of knowing for sure," she said.