The Pasadena and Beverly Hills police departments are investigating after approximately 200 flyers containing antisemitic theories related to COVID-19 were distributed in each city Saturday night and Sunday morning, authorities said.
On Tuesday evening, more flyers were found in San Marino, the city’s police department announced in a press release.
The flyers, which begin by claiming that “every single aspect of the COVID agenda is Jewish,” were discovered just before midnight in the southwest part of Beverly Hills, according to a statement from Beverly Hills City Council.
In Pasadena, flyers were distributed between midnight and 4 a.m. near Washington Boulevard and Mentor, Catalina, Wilson and Mar Vista avenues, Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
The leaflets were in plastic bags that were weighed down with pebbles, and they likely were thrown out of a passing car, Lt. Anthony Burgess, a spokesman for the department, told the Los Angeles Times.
“The Pasadena City Council stands united in our zero-tolerance position against all forms of hate speech, which has no place in our city,” Mayor Victor Gordo said in a statement. “The distribution of [antisemitic] fliers in Pasadena and other southern California communities over the weekend is abhorrent and totally goes against the values of our city and its residents. Our thoughts are with our residents and all those hurt by these disgusting acts. We know Pasadena residents—of all faiths—will to stand together and speak out against hatred in all forms.”
A similar incident occurred last month in Beverly Hills, when similar flyers were distributed on the first day of Hanukkah.
On Instagram, Vice Mayor Lili Bosse lamented the “horrific incident.”
“As a daughter of Holocuast survivors, this cuts to my core of my soul. I know it cuts all of our hearts to see hatred in Humanity still exist,” she wrote.
In Beverly Hills, the “Police Department is thoroughly investigating and will be providing additional patrols along with private security throughout the City to ensure a safe holiday season,” the statement read.
Anyone with information — especially someone who captured video evidence using Ring or other security cameras — is asked to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241 and the Beverly Hills Police Department at 310-550-4951.
