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Antisemitism Watch - August 21, 2026, 01 PM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to antisemitism. Watch I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
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  Speaker 1: today with a disturbing physical assault in Surfside, Florida. On
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  Speaker 1: August sixteenth, a Jewish couple visiting from New York was
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  Speaker 1: approached by Jordan Stephen Peroso, who allegedly cursed at them,
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  Speaker 1: called them evil demons, and made death threats. According to
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  Speaker 1: arrest reports cited by NBC Miami and The Algemeaner, Peroso
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  Speaker 1: thirty five, then punched the husband in the head. Surfside
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  Speaker 1: police arrested Peroso on charges including battery with prejudice and
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  Speaker 1: harassing or intimidating a person based on religious or ethnic heritage.
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  Speaker 1: Police Chief J. Mattley's emphasized zero tolerance for such acts.
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  Speaker 1: A background check revealed Perose had a prior arrest in
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  Speaker 1: June for criminal mischief. The victim's wife recorded part of
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  Speaker 1: the incident, which also included statements targeting Israel and Palestine.
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  Speaker 1: According to the Affida David, a significant diplomatic escalation has
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  Speaker 1: occurred between Israel and Turkey. The office of Israeli Prime
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  Speaker 1: Minister Benjamin Netaniahu has labeled Turkish President receptaeyup Erdogan an
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  Speaker 1: antisemitic dictator. This follows Turkey's move to seek an international
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  Speaker 1: arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing him of genocide
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  Speaker 1: in connection with Israel's actions in Gaza. In a statement,
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  Speaker 1: Netaniahu's office asserted that Erdogan massacred Kurds, supports the massacre
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  Speaker 1: of the Hamas terrorist organization, and oppresses his own people.
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  Speaker 1: Israel has vowed to continue to act forcefully against Turkey's
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  Speaker 1: attempts to destabilize the region and against any threat to
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  Speaker 1: its security. According to reporting from Times of Israel and
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  Speaker 1: other outlets, the exchange highlights deep tensions and strong accusations
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  Speaker 1: between the two nations. In Australia, the New South Wales
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  Speaker 1: Attorney General is considering an appeal after a Supreme Court
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  Speaker 1: judge refused a terror order request from Mohat. Justice Desmond
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  Speaker 1: Fagin ruled that Farhat's actions, which included writing fuck Israel
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  Speaker 1: on cars and setting a vehicle alight, constituted political comment
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  Speaker 1: rather than antisemitism. The Executive Council of Australian Jury, the
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  Speaker 1: nation's peak Jewish group, has called Fagin's ruling dangerous judicial activism.
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  Speaker 1: Farhat remains behind bars, though the judge's findings suggest lower
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  Speaker 1: courts and agencies may have mishandled intelligence regarding his motivations.
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  Speaker 1: The ruling also led to concerns about the police's handling
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  Speaker 1: of the case. On the campus front, a significant report
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  Speaker 1: examining antisemitism in higher education is set for release. On
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  Speaker 1: July twenty first, the US Commission on Civil Rights unanimously
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  Speaker 1: approved a bipartisan report titled the Federal Response to Antisemitism
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  Speaker 1: on American College and University Campuses. This report, due for
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  Speaker 1: finalization and release in September twenty twenty six, is the
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  Speaker 1: co ullmination of an investigation into how institutions and the
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  Speaker 1: federal government have responded to antisemitism on US campuses, and
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  Speaker 1: it will be transmitted to the President and Congress. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: Michigan State University is launching new initiatives to address rising intolerance.
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  Speaker 1: For the fall twenty twenty six semester, MSU will offer
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  Speaker 1: two new undergraduate seminars, Islam, Muslims and Islamophobia, and Historical
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  Speaker 1: and Contemporary Antisemitism. The university states these courses aim to
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  Speaker 1: foster understanding amid a national rise in anti Muslim and
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  Speaker 1: anti Jewish rhetoric, discrimination, and attacks. Several organizations are actively
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  Speaker 1: working on enhancing security and combating antisemitism. Teach Nys and
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  Speaker 1: Teach NJ advocate for Jewish day schools and yeshivas, working
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  Speaker 1: to secure government funding and improve school security. The Bergen
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  Speaker 1: County Jewish Action Committee or BCJAC, aims to advocate for
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  Speaker 1: the Jewish community, combat antisemitism in local institutions, and foster unity.
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  Speaker 1: Stand with US, an international Israel education organization, works to
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  Speaker 1: challenge misinformation and fight antisemitism through education. Finally, as a
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  Speaker 1: positive development, the Pro Israel Political Action Committee no O
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  Speaker 1: RPAC continues its advocacy. No RPAC is described as the
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  Speaker 1: nation's largest grass roots, non partisan pro Israel pack, working
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  Speaker 1: directly with members of Congress and candidates to strengthen the
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  Speaker 1: US Israel relationship. I'm Rachel Adler. Thank you for listening
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  Speaker 1: to Antisemitism Watch. This report was generated with AI assistance
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  Speaker 1: and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.