Police investigating "disturbing" antisemitic flyers found littered across Brigantine, New Jersey
BRIGANTINE, N.J. (CBS) -- It's a shocking find. Police in Brigantine, New Jersey, are working to find who is responsible for the antisemitic flyers.
"What they mean is their hatred of Jews and the message is very clear," Jan Sarratore said.
It's a plastic bag filled with flyers meant to spread fear and harm. On Sunday morning, residents in Brigantine found them littered all over the island.
"All of a sudden I started seeing these things with a British flag on them, with corn and they were at every corner," Bob Matsuk said.
On his afternoon walk, Matsuk stumbled upon several of them. Police believe this is one of hundreds.
"It says, 'America did not break free from a small country across the sea.' And then on the other side it says, 'Just to get controlled by another small country across the sea years later,'" Matsuk said.
CBS3: "What do you think that means?"
Matsuk: "I have no idea."
In a statement, Brigantine police called the bags and its contents antisemitic. They say the literature does not contain any threats, but it is consistent with antisemitic flyers seen throughout the country in recent weeks.
"It's very frightening antisemitism is on the rise," Sarratore said.
Sarratore is the president of Temple Beth shalom in Brigantine. She and her husband, Steve, say they didn't get a notice but know several people who did.
A line at the bottom of the flyer says they were placed at random without malicious intent.
"I don't know how these can be distributed without malicious intent when they're blaming the Jews for everything that's gone wrong in this country," Sarratore said. "It's very disturbing."
"Randomly, perhaps. Malicious? Absolutely," Steve Sarratore said.
The two say they will be meeting with community members to decide how to move forward together.
In the meantime, they're asking everyone to disregard the letters and their anonymous senders.
"I think everybody has felt largely comfortable on the island," Steve Sarratore said. "And so, as I think Jan said, there's just no place for this here or anywhere."
