Hateful flyers, largely with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ messaging and disseminated by neo-Nazis and their ideological ilk, have been increasingly distributed throughout California cities in the last few years.
A new law aims to stop the tactic. AB 3024, also called the Stop Hate Littering Act, will allow those victimized to pursue civil recourse, and give prosecutors tools they need to hold offenders accountable.
In San Diego alone, at least eight instances of antisemitic flyers being distributed on car windshields were documented in 2023. Additionally, anti-Armenian hate flyers were distributed in Los Angeles neighborhoods and hate flyers have also appeared in Fresno.
Hate flyers were also distributed in Berkeley featuring a barcode that led to an antisemitic website in August, while at the same time, residents in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and Concord in the East Bay found antisemitic flyers left at their homes, including ones deliberately left at the doorsteps of local Jewish congregants.
Because of their anonymity and legal ambiguity, people who have been targeted by such flyers are often at a loss as to how to hold offenders accountable.
“The act of hate littering goes beyond what is intended in our First Amendment protections,” said Assembly member Chris Ward, a Democrat from San Diego, in a statement. Ward introduced the bill alongside City Council member Raul Campillo, Mayor Todd Gloria, and City Attorney Mara Elliott.
“When hate groups are deliberately going into Jewish communities to leave antisemitic flyers on the doorsteps, vehicles and personal property of their victims to try to intimidate and harass them where they live, that’s not free speech. That’s attempting to turn neighbor against neighbor, and it makes the people these flyers are targeting afraid to be themselves and live their lives in their own neighborhood.”
Ward’s bill, which Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday that he signed, will make necessary updates to existing law by building on the Ralph Act of 1976, which states that all persons have the right to be free from violence and intimidation.
AB 3024: The Stop Hate Littering Act goes into effect immediately, during United Against Hate Week, which two San Diego council members, including Campillo, highlighted on Thursday.
