SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — South Haven Police are investigating after they say a man distributed antisemitic flyers around South Haven Friday night. An official with a state anti-hate organization said the case comes amid a rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years. 

Police say between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday night, officers received reports of the fliers and located a suspect through the help of witnesses giving a description of the man’s car. 

Interim Police Chief Patrick Carlotto said the man was cited for littering and obstructing a license plate with mud.

In a statement, the department said while no formal charges have been filed yet, investigators are working closely local prosecutors. However, Carlotto said the case may fall under a form of protected speech under the First Amendment. 

THE FLYER

Police say the flyers were distributed several miles between 18th Avenue and Northshore Drive in South Haven. 

A News 8 crew located two of the flyers while driving through the same area described by police. One was located along 77th Street and another found in the driveway of a home along Blue Star Highway. The homeowner was not aware of the flyer but said the incident is disturbing. 

News 8 has decided that displaying the flyer is not in the public’s best interest.

The flyer included an image of the flag of Israel with the symbol of the Republican Party and a dollar sign superimposed on it. Alongside was the Soviet Union flag with the Star of David and Democratic Party icon superimposed. 

Above the flags, the text reads “TAKE YOUR PICK (pejorative)”   

Carolyn Normandin is the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League of Michigan and said the pejorative is an “ugly word” for non-Jewish people. She reviewed the flyer  with News 8. 

“There’s all these different elements that we see when we are looking at conspiracy rhetoric having to do with Jewish power, Jewish money. So that’s particularly, again, reminiscent of things that we’ve seen, although I’ve not seen it exactly this way,” said Normandin. “The fact that it’s the call to action is for Nazis. Well, obviously that’s just a repugnant, I can’t even describe that is just a vile description that they call for Nazis.”

RISING CASES

Normandin said this incident is coming amid a time of rising antisemitisim in several years. 

“In terms of antisemitic incidents, and that would be harassment like this, these flyers would be considered harassment. We were eighth in the country, 8 out of 50 states,” she said.

The distribution comes days before the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah and more than week from the one year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. Normandin said FBI data is showing a troubling rise in hate crimes. According to the FBI, 1,874 cases of Anti-Jewish intimidation were reported in 2023.

“In terms of religion, the largest group targeted was the Jewish community and then a third very, very large group that’s targeted is the LGBTQ community. So, I think what that tells us is ADL statistics, other organizations like ADL Statistics and the FBI all say the same thing. Hate is rising,” she says.

THE INVESTIGATION

Normandin said finding a suspect in these types of cases is rare. 

“These flyers are cowardly acts in the middle of the night and then people wake up and they find them on their porches,” she said. “We do sometimes see that law enforcement apprehends a person, sometimes right in the act. Most of the time, that’s not what happens.” 

She said seeing police investigate the incident sends an important message. 

“When people take this seriously for what it is, hateful rhetoric that is being spewed in a community, it reminds people that the law enforcement is on the side of the people who just want a beautiful and vibrant and diverse community,” said Normandin. 

“The South Haven Police department stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and all who reject hate in any form. We will continue to work with community leaders and organizations to foster an inclusive and respectful environment in the city of South Haven” wrote department officials in a statement.

South Haven Police are asking anyone with information on this incident to contact the department at 269.637.5151.