CHICAGO — Chicago police and city officials are on alert after antisemitic and white supremacist groups advertised a “Day of Hate” on social media, but authorities said there are no known threats to Jewish and faith communities.
Extremist messaging encourages people to vandalize property, put up stickers and flyers and drop banners, and take videos or pictures of the attacks to post online, according to a 24th Police District community alert.
A police spokesperson said there is no known threat against Chicago neighborhoods, but they are monitoring the situation and working with faith-based communities.
“The Chicago Police Department is aware of the online posts regarding February 25, 2023,” police said. “At this time, there is no actionable intelligence and we continue to actively monitor the situation. We are regularly in contact with members, leaders and organizations within the Jewish community and all faith-based communities in Chicago, and will continue working closely with them to strengthen communication and safety.”
Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) alerted West Ridge residents Tuesday about the day in a newsletter.
“I spoke with the police and no known threat has been made to the local Jewish community; however, they will be monitoring the situation very closely,” Silverstein wrote. “To date, no specific Jewish communities or locations have been named in the threats online.”
Police and Silverstein encouraged residents to remain vigilant, pay attention to their surroundings and call 911 if they notice any suspicious people, cars or behavior.
These warnings come just over a year after a string of antisemitic vandalism in West Ridge.
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