WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — More packets with antisemitic messages were thrown on lawns in West Palm Beach.
This time around 500 items were found Saturday in the Flamingo Park neighborhood, just one week after material was found in Northwood and recently several other places in Palm Beach County.
Residents in the south end of Flamingo Park called police.
The agency said three men in a rented U-Haul truck — the same ones last week — were responsible. They again were cited for littering, the only statute on the books police can use.
"The fact is if you're going to litter in our city we have state statues on the books that we can enforce and we will take action when our neighbors raise those concerns," West Palm Beach spokesman Mike Jachles said.
If more neighbors come forward and give written statements to police at 561-822-1900, officers could be able to give the men responsible more citations of upwards of $150.
Like in the past, the messages came in plastic bags with pellets. Last week about 100 items were collected and distributed by five people.
On Tuesday, Palm Beach County commissioners took action to curtail the recent rise of antisemitic messages.
By a unanimous vote, commissioners passed an emergency ordinance prohibiting the unauthorized projections of signs onto buildings, structures and other places.
The ordinance, which took effect immediately, will fine first-time offenders $1,000 and repeat violators from $5,000 up to $15,000 if the Palm Beach County master finds the violation irreparable or irreversible in nature.
Among those disturbing incidents included the projection of a Nazi swastika on a downtown West Palm Beach building in January.
The Florida Legislature is currently considering HB 269, which aims to make certain antisemitic acts a hate crime.
