Antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ mailings sent to Worcester City Council members

WORCESTER — Less than two weeks after a City Council meeting was disrupted by online callers making racist and homophobic statements, multiple city councilors have reported that they recently received antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ mail at their home addresses.

Councilors-at-Large Khrystian King ad Thu Nguyen and District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj shared photos of two pieces of mail. One featured various antisemitic conspiracy theories and a vulgar caricature of a Jewish person. The second contained a screed directed at transgender women that featured several uses of anti-trans slurs as well as antisemitic language.

The mailers arrived less than two weeks after two online callers to the Jan. 23 City Council meeting made racist and anti-LGBTQ statements before being cut off. One caller used a racial slur for Black people and was immediately followed by another caller who attempted to make a comment about trans women.

Councilors reported that one piece of mail claimed to contain the full speech the second caller meant to give.

In a statement, King, who chaired the Jan. 23 City Council meeting, called for work to address bigotry.

"We must intentionally root out all forms of systemic and socialized classism, racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, and transphobia; through deliberate legislation, policy creation and implementation, funding, and Governmental operation and procedures," King said.

Nguyen, who is the first openly nonbinary elected official in the state, said in a post on social media that the hateful language affirmed their commitment to building safe communities.

"This is outrageously disgusting, we condemn this level of hate. It has no place anywhere and absolutely not in politics despite these folks targeting us," Nguyen said.

Haxhiaj said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that elected officials across the country have received similar mail.

"We have a responsibility to not only condemn this anti-Semitic, white supremacist, racist, and transphobic language, but to shine light on it. These events may increase during this turbulent election time," Haxhiaj wrote.

In a text message, Haxhiaj said she had only received the mailer with anti-LGBTQ language.

The Telegram & Gazette reached out to other city councilors and the city manager's office to ask whether they had received the flyers as well.

Councilor-at-Large Morris Bergman, who is Jewish, said he received the mailers and believed most of his fellow councilors at least received the postcard featuring antisemitic language and conspiracies.

"It's hurtful, I can't say it's totally surprising given the rise in antisemitism," Bergman said.

In his 10 years as a councilor, Bergman said he rarely saw such language verbalized publicly.

"I respect the fact that the First Amendment gives folks a lot of leeway. But by the same token, it doesn't mean it's not offensive. And it is offensive to me and I'm sure it's offensive to my colleagues."

Mayor Joseph M. Petty said he also received the mail, which he referred to as "disgusting."

Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey, District 1 City Councilor Jennifer Pacillo and District 3 City Councilor George Russell also said they got the mail.

"It's just this hate-fueled attack; it's disturbing," Toomey said.

Last year, the Anti-Defamation League reported that individuals have taken to disrupting public forums to make bigoted statements. The Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism has recorded more than 100 such incidents nationwide.

The ADL reports that much of these calls and mail are connected to the antisemitic hate group the Goyim Defense League. Both mailers received by the Worcester city councilors featured references to the Goyim Defense League.

Last year, police in West Brookfield said antisemitic rhetoric was randomly distributed to homes in plastic bags filled with rice, they said they suspected the Goyim Defense League had distributed the material.

Councilors-at-Large Donna Colorio, District 2 City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson, and District 4 City Councilor Luis Ojeda did not immediately respond to requests about whether they also received the mail.

A spokesperson for City Manager Eric D. Batista said the city manager's office did not directly receive the mail.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester city councilors receive antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ mailings