WINTHROP, MASS. (WHDH) - Authorities are investigating after a town council meeting in Winthrop was hit by hate earlier this week.
The incident happened Tuesday night when a man appeared on a Zoom screen wearing a mask and sunglasses with a swastika in the background.
The man used an antisemitic slur and also appeared to do a Nazi salute before town leaders jumped into action to get him off screen.
Speaking on Wednesday, leaders continued to deliver the message that hate has no home in Winthrop.
“That is the message that we want to put out, that we are a town of love. We are a town of tolerance,” said rabbi Benjamin Flax. “The louder we can be in those types of celebrations, the fewer opportunities for individuals like that to speak.”
Flax was in the meeting Tuesday night where this incident took place.
He ended up jumping out of his seat as the incident unfolded.
“I don’t know what I thought I was going to do,” he said. “I didn’t know if it was behind me. I didn’t know who was on Zoom. It was happening so fast.”
“That was this jarring emotional experience,” Flax continued.
Winthrop Town manager Anthony Marino said the incident was “very upsetting.”
“We had people in the room,” he said. “We had members of the Jewish community in there as well.”
The town of Winthrop said this incident happened during a discussion regarding the town’s flag flying policy.
The motive, though, remained unclear as of Wednesday.
“You’ve seen this type of tactic when it is very much based on an agenda item as well as just to try and boil blood,” Flax said.
This was not the first time the Winthrop community has been hit by hate.
In 2021, two Black residents were gunned down in town. The suspect, investigators later found, had journals filled with antisemitic writings.
In the wake of this latest incident, Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty said “We have our work cut out for us.”
“We will respond aggressively to this attack on our community,” he said in a previous written statement. “There is no place for hate in Winthrop. Not in person; not online; not anywhere.”
Local police on Wednesday said they were working with the FBI, state police and the district attorney’s office to determine who was behind the incident.
Delehanty said authorities had also been in touch with leaders in the local Jewish community to ensure they feel secure. Delehanty continued, saying police will provide enhanced security measures for upcoming events.
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