College Hill, Cincinnati, OH – An alarming start to the day in College Hill after residents walked outside to find anti-Semitic messages littering their neighborhood.
Cincinnati police are investigating the literature found on Ambrose Avenue and W. North Bend Road.
For those who live and work in the neighborhood, they say this type of message is not welcome there.
“I went over to pick it up and I realized right away it was a message,” Tina Stoeberl said.
Stoeberl owns the College Hill Coffee Company and has for nearly two decades.
She said she was cleaning off her businesses patio when she found a small plastic bag filled with bird seed to weigh it down, and found what she considers an anti-Semitic message inside.
“It makes me feel like these folks are not from this neighborhood, because there’s no room for that in College Hill and that’s the truth,” Stoeberl said.
And, Stoeberl is not alone.
Other residents woke up to the same message.
Cincinnati police were notified Tuesday morning.
An official confirmed the department’s Intelligence Unit is investigating to determine what the material is and whether poses a threat of any kind.
“College Hill is a neighborhood for all people and always has been,” Stoeberl said. “When I opened my business 17 years ago, I said ‘This is a place for all people, where everyone is welcome.’ And, it kind of took my breath away this morning, for real, because that’s not an everyday occurrence here.”
For Stoeberl, she said she is grateful police are investigating, and she has a message for whoever is responsible.
“The message I want to send, is, it won’t be tolerated here, in this neighborhood,” Stoeberl said.
Rabbi Ari Ballaban, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council released a statement regarding the material that reads:
“The Jewish Community Relations Council takes all forms of antisemitism seriously. These latest flyers are part of a national effort by certain extremist groups to garner attention for their hate-filled agenda and make Jewish Americans feel alienated and alone; if found, they should be reported. As odious as they are, we should strive to not give them extra attention, as that is precisely the hope of these hate groups. Anyone who feels uncomfortable or threatened in any way is, as always, encouraged to reach out to the JCRC for support and resources in combatting this alarming national resurgence of anti-Semitic behavior.”
Cincinnati police said there is no further update at this time.
