BOISE, Idaho — There were several incidents of antisemitic graffiti and propaganda in Boise in the last year and organizations that track these incidents said they’re becoming more frequent.
“It’s a regular pattern. It’s almost becoming commonplace which really becomes disturbing,” said Dan Prinzing, the executive director of the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights in Boise.
This is a national trend.
“There was a 27% rise in propaganda targeting Jews and Jewish institutions,” Miri Cypers, the regional director for the Anti Defamation League, Pacific Northwest region said.
Related: Boise Police: Anti-Semitic graffiti found in east Boise park
Nationally in 2021, there was an average of 13 antisemitic incidents per day.
Cypers said the Pacific Northwest is especially susceptible to antisemitism because of the region's history of antisemitism.
“That kind of history is continuing to have a presence here today,” she said.
Related: Anti-semitic graffiti discovered near Anne Frank Memorial in Boise
Prinzing said another concerning aspect of these trends is behavior of some state leaders.
“We have to be concerned though, if we now have state leaders that are embracing extremism because then in fact, what are they doing? They’re emboldening these acts," he said. "We have to really look at what do we define as a hate crime? What do we define as hate speech? And what are the consequences for?"
Prinzing said every Idahoan can take action and it starts with awareness.
“We need to know where and we need to know who’s being targeted as each of these occur," he said.
ADL said the high number of antisemitic incidents has continued so far into 2022.
