By Lookout Staff
January 14, 2022 -- Police are investigating fliers linking Jews to the anti-vaccine movement that were posted at seven public schools in Santa Monica Thursday.
The fliers -- which were stuck to walls, signs and other surfaces -- showed a Star of David formed by the letters A and V with the words "anti-vaxxer."
The fliers ask people to turn in those who oppose vaccines “because you care and they don’t” and provides a number to text, according to the Los Angeles Times, which broke the story.
The text number has a Kentucky area code that leads to an "AntiVax Reporting Hotline” run by the Safer Tomorrow Organization, the Times reported.
The text message states that those who oppose vaccines are endangering society by delaying the end of the COVID pandemic and that the organization is “starting to collect (but not act on) information on anti-vaxxers.”
The School District and City issued a joint statement denouncing the fliers.
“Santa Monica rejects bigotry of any kind and antisemitic rhetoric, intolerance, harassment and violence have no place in our schools or in our community,” the statement said.
“We are deeply offended by the antisemitic posters, falsely and nefariously representing pro-vaccine propaganda found at several of our schools.
“We collectively want to ensure that all of our students, families, and staff, no matter their race, religion or other identity feel safe and welcomed in our schools and in our community,” the statement said.
Some Orthodox Jews oppose vaccinations, making headlines during the measles outbreak in Brooklyn in 2019, and during the current COVID pandemic.
Police Department officials said they were at the school sites and are investigating the incident.
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