Latest / Antisemitism Watch / Antisemitism Watch - September 23, 2026, 09 AM Eastern

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Antisemitism Watch - September 23, 2026, 09 AM 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: with concerning reports of antisemitic threats and violence. British counterterrorism
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: police announced they have thwarted a suspected terrorist plot targeting
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  Speaker 1: the Jewish community in northern England during the upcoming High
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  Speaker 1: Holy Days. Senior National Coordinator Vicky Evans stated two men
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  Speaker 1: were arrested. And while detectives do not believe there is
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  Speaker 1: an ongoing threat, police presence has been increased. the Community
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Security Trust called the news utterly chilling, noting the proximity
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: to a past synagogue attack anniversary. Campaign against antisemitism suggested
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: policy changes are needed. Israel's charged affairs in the UK,
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  Speaker 1: Christian Cantor, link the incident to anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric
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  Speaker 1: contributing to extremist emboldenment. In Canada, a dangerous escalation occurred
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  Speaker 1: on the eve of Yom Kippur. when a 29-year-old man
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  Speaker 1: armed with a shotgun opened fire on a police officer
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  Speaker 1: stationed outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario.
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  Speaker 1: The gunman, who died from his wounds, critically injured the officer,
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  Speaker 1: Constable Jeff Smith. The Globe and Mail described this as
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  Speaker 1: a dangerous escalation in a cycle of antisemitic violence, with
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  Speaker 1: investigators noting the timing suggests a possible antisemitic motive. Belleville
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  Speaker 1: Deputy Police Chief Sherry Meeks stated... Antisemitism, hate and violence
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  Speaker 1: have no place in our community. Prime Minister Mark Carney
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  Speaker 1: condemned the attack. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
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  Speaker 1: notes a rise in hate incidents in Canada, with 70%
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  Speaker 1: of religiously targeted hate crimes in 2024 targeting the Jewish community. Elsewhere,
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  Speaker 1: Wethersfield police released footage of suspects who spray-painted hateful graffiti,
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  Speaker 1: including a swastika and antisemitic writing, on vehicles and property
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  Speaker 1: over the weekend. In Somerville, Massachusetts, Jewish residents report increased
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  Speaker 1: fear and harassment, including verbal and physical attacks, amid opposition
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  Speaker 1: to a proposed city council ordinance explicitly targeting Israel. Residents
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  Speaker 1: described children being screamed at and neighbors being kicked and
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  Speaker 1: spit on, with one individual reporting being threatened by an
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  Speaker 1: angry mob. We're also tracking significant threats emerging from online
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  Speaker 1: spaces and political figures. The Antisemitism Research Center, by CAM,
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  Speaker 1: reports a surge of antisemitic conspiracy theories blaming Jews and
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  Speaker 1: Israel for 9-11, with posts generating tens of millions of views.
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  Speaker 1: This online phenomenon is linked to real-world violence. The ADL
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  Speaker 1: reports that since 2024, at least eight mass attackers were
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  Speaker 1: active on the online gore forum Watch People Die, a
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  Speaker 1: platform linked to extremist ideologies, and that antisemitism is a
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  Speaker 1: recurring theme within the associated, On the political front, Germany's
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  Speaker 1: Die Linke Party faces renewed warnings about unrestrained antisemitism, following
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  Speaker 1: its electoral success in Berlin, with Israel's ambassador Ron Prosser
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  Speaker 1: stating the party's antisemitism is taking on a new political dimension.
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  Speaker 1: In the US, Tyler Oliveira's viral video alleging a Jewish
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  Speaker 1: fraud ring has been noted for its unproven claims and
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  Speaker 1: association with antisemitic comments. Local commentators Joe Skokken and Sam
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  Speaker 1: Jeffries argue Seattle is a laboratory for tactics pushing Jews out.
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  Speaker 1: And a podcast associated with the forum Watch People Die
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  Speaker 1: hosted white supremacist Nick Fuentes, where anti-Semitic conspiracy theories were promoted.
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  Speaker 1: Concerns also persist regarding educational materials and campus rhetoric. A
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  Speaker 1: guide published by the Council on American Islamic Relations for
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  Speaker 1: K-12 students, while addressing Gaza and Palestinian advocacy, omitted any
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  Speaker 1: reference to Hamas or October 7th. On college campuses, Jewish
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  Speaker 1: student leaders express alarm over inflammatory rhetoric from figures like
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  Speaker 1: Hassan Piker, whose upcoming appearances draw large crowds despite his
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  Speaker 1: history of controversial statements on Jews and Israel, according to Haaretz.
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  Speaker 1: In institutional and policy responses, the U.S. Department of Justice
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  Speaker 1: sued Harvard University in March 2026 over alleged antisemitism against
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  Speaker 1: Jewish students. Conversely, Canadian governments face criticism for responding to
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  Speaker 1: post-October 7th antisemitic attacks with statements rather than enforcement. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: in France, recent court cases highlight difficulties in legally recognizing
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  Speaker 1: antisemitic motives behind violence targeting Jews. Shannon Sebin, writing for
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  Speaker 1: the Jerusalem Post, points to examples where assaults on students
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  Speaker 1: called Zionists and vandalism were punished for the acts. but
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  Speaker 1: the antisemitic nature was not established by the courts, raising
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  Speaker 1: questions about how contemporary antisemitism is legally defined and prosecuted.
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  Speaker 1: Rhetoric related to Israel also continues to be a focal point.
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  Speaker 1: Rapper Macklemore's Free Palestine protest during an Ed Sheeran concert
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  Speaker 1: led to controversy, including intervention from Patriots owner Robert Kraft
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  Speaker 1: and PR challenges for Ed Sheeran. The incident is described
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  Speaker 1: by some as reviving the oldest conspiracy in the book,
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  Speaker 1: the idea that Jews secretly control governments and media. In Ireland,
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  Speaker 1: Prime Minister Michiel Martin defended national soccer coach Heimir Holgrimson's
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  Speaker 1: remarks against Israel, calling Israel's response to those comments unacceptable. Finally,
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  Speaker 1: on a community level, Zibi Owens has released a new
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: book featuring essays that explore Jewish life and antisemitism following
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: October 7th, aiming to foster a personal connection for readers.
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: making the issue of antisemitism feel as if it is
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  Speaker 1: happening to a friend. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: listening to Antisemitism Watch. Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: app so you don't miss the next update. This report
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: verify important details with primary sources.