Jacksonville police, FBI investigating antisemitic messages at Georgia-Florida, elsewhere

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is working with FBI Jacksonville following recent antisemitic posts and displays across Jacksonville, including one at Saturday's Georgia-Florida Game at TIAA Bank Field.

Although law enforcement officials haven't identified any crimes associated with the messages, the Sheriff's Office said it is investigating, according to a statement.

“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of antisemitic posts and displays in and around the City of Jacksonville. We have been looking into these actions and will continue to work with our partner agencies regarding these reports of antisemitic messages. At this time, the Sheriff’s Office has not identified any crimes having been committed; the comments displayed do not include any type of threat and are protected by the First Amendment."

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The message "Kanye was right about the jews" was projected onto TIAA Bank Field's videoboard. It referred to Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, who posted hate speech attacking Jews on social media last week.

In video shared on social media, the message appears to have been projected from outside TIAA Bank Field onto the backside of one of the stadium's large videoboards.

Elsewhere, the same message was projected onto a downtown building and other antisemitic messages were shared on banners displayed on overpasses on Interstate 10 and the Arlington Expressway over the weekend.

State Attorney Melissa Nelson's office said "such speech — even despicable speech — is protected by the First Amendment. If this office is presented with evidence indicating an intent to directly incite imminent criminal activity or specifically threaten violence against a person or group, then criminal prosecution may be implicated."

Jacksonville to host vigil for 'unity and hope'

In response to the messages, a vigil for "unity and hope" will be held Thursday night in downtown Jacksonville to celebrate the community's rich diversity and repudiate the antisemitism as well as other hate attacks in the city.

Scheduled for 5:30 p.m., the vigil will be held at James Weldon Johnson Park across from Jacksonville City Hall.

OneJax, an Institute at the University of North Florida, along with the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida, elected officials, political candidates and leaders from both parties along with others have denounced the messages in separate statements from late Saturday through Monday.

"We are OUTRAGED by the demonstrations and expressions of antisemitic ideology recently espoused by local individuals and hate groups in Jacksonville," OneJax said in its statement. "At the same time, we are bereft by the cruelty and hate these actions convey."

The weekend incidents are not isolated events, the organization said.

"The fact is, we are in the midst of another type of pandemic — one of hate, supremacy, alternative facts and heightened emotions fueled by extremists peddling white Christian nationalism and other divisive, separatist rhetoric. And it’s spreading. Fast," OneJax said.

It’s long past time, the organization said, "to do more than throw words at the unacceptable nature of these activities."

"The fact is, the majority of people in Jacksonville — whether they vote red or blue —oppose hate-speak and are not satisfied to let the actions of a few define who we are as a community."

The vigil is being held with support from UNF, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Jewish community, the interfaith community and local social justice groups, OneJax said.

Tips about hate crimes can be reported to the State Attorney’s Office’s Human Rights Division's hotline at (904) 255-3099.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville antisemitic sign: FBI, Sheriff's Office investigating