How an Antisemitic Propaganda Group Started in the Bay

There were more than 2,700 incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault in 2021, the highest count since the Anti-Defamation League’s Center for Extremism began tracking these incidents four decades ago. 

In October, a group called the Goyim Defense League hung a banner off I-405 in Los Angeles that read “Kanye Was Right About the Jews.” Although this happened in southern California, this group was actually founded right here, in the Bay Area.

Episode transcript

Guests: Julie Small, KQED reporter and Jill Castellano, inewsource investigative reporter

This story was produced in partnership with inewsource, a nonprofit news organization in San Diego. It is part of an ongoing project with inewsource and other NPR stations to chronicle the extent of extremism in California.

Links:

• The Bay Area Roots of a Neo-Nazi Propaganda Group
• How an Antisemitic Extremist in San Diego Evaded Hate Crime Prosecution
• Report an Anti-Semitic, Bias or Discriminatory Incident to the Anti-Defamation League