Washington, D.C. –– Amid a rise in hate crimes nationwide, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working with Federal law enforcement to help protect Jewish people in Georgia and nationwide from anti-Semitic attacks.
In a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing yesterday, Sen. Ossoff pressed a senior FBI official on the Bureau’s work to prevent, investigate, and prosecute anti-Semitic hate crimes.
Sen. Ossoff cited recent high-profile attacks against Jewish Americans at Congregation Beth Israel in Texas, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and others.
“The Jewish community in Georgia and Jews across the country have been shocked by these events and are deeply disturbed by this significant increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes and hate speech,” Sen. Ossoff said.
Sen. Ossoff asked Ryan T. Young, FBI Intelligence Branch Executive Assistant Director, about the Bureau’s efforts to strengthen law enforcement’s response to anti-Semitic attacks.
Young said the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and field offices nationwide are working to fight domestic violent extremism.
Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff’s line of questioning:
Please find a transcript of the exchange below:
SEN. OSSOFF: “Thank you, Mr. Young and as has been discussed in this hearing, just weeks ago, Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, suffered a horrific attack and this incident follows other high-profile attacks on American Jews, including those at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the Chabad of Poway, in New Jersey, and a Jewish school in Boston. We all recall the imagery and the audio of white supremacists marching through Charlottesville chanting, ‘Jews will not replace us.’ The Jewish community in Georgia and Jews across the country have been shocked by these events and are deeply disturbed by this significant increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes and hate speech. What is the Federal Bureau of Investigation doing please, Mr. Young, to strengthen law enforcement’s efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute anti-Semitic hate crimes in America?”
RYAN YOUNG: “Thank you, Senator. As you’re aware with the hate crimes, we track this through hate crimes with our Criminal Investigative Division. But also when it comes to domestic violent extremism with the 56 Joint Terrorism Task Force. We do communicate with the Anti-Defamation League, we do strong engagement with our Office of Partner Engagement with the Secure Communities Network so that we make sure that we are passing on any threats, any tips, we ask that community to continue to be vigilant and communicate those threats. If they see something, say something. And in just a second, we remain across our 56 offices having strong relationships with those communities.”
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