PEABODY — Small plastic bags containing pamphlets displaying antisemitic sentiment were found in front of several homes in West Peabody Saturday morning, police said.
Peabody police began receiving calls about pamphlets containing antisemitic sentiment being left on “various properties” around 9:25 a.m. Saturday, said Captain Dennis Bonaiuto. The pamphlets displayed the phrase “Every single aspect of the COVID agenda is Jewish,” he confirmed.
The origin of the pamphlets remains under investigation by police, he said. On Sunday, officers returned to the area around Antrim Road and Donna Street to do follow-up interviews with residents.
Bonaiuto said police are unaware of any similar incidents across the North Shore.
The incident was the first time antisemitic rhetoric has hit the town in several years, Bonaituo said.
“This has happened once before, but going back several years,” he said.
Peabody police notified the Anti-Defamation League of the incident, he said.
“We’ve worked closely with them over many years,” Bonaituo said.
In a statement, ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan said the organization believes the “Goyim Defense League” appears to be behind the incident.
“These hateful fliers appear to be the propaganda efforts of the Goyim Defense League, or GDL, a loose network of individuals connected by their virulent antisemitism,” Trestan said. “Their overarching goal is to cast aspersions on Jews and spread antisemitic myths and conspiracy theories, including antisemitic conspiracy theories related to the coronavirus.
“There is no place for antisemitism and hate in Massachusetts. Everyone must take a stand and speak up against hate wherever it appears,” he said
Officials believe Peabody was targeted by the GDL, whose name is taken from a Yiddish or Hebrew word for non-Jews, because the town’s police chief, Thomas M. Griffin was recently honored by the ADL, receiving the organization’s New England Law and Community Service award on May 29.
The GDL’s leader, Jon Minadeo II, indicated on a podcast that Griffin’s award spurred his organization to target the town, according to the ADL.
