Last week, one person was arrested in another state in connection with mass shooting threats aimed at a Jewish center in the Alamo City.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Police Department says it’s ramping up its police presence at Jewish centers and facilities throughout the city, calling it a “precautionary measure” enacted “in response to recent events.”
“As always we want to remind the public that if they see something, say something,” a spokesperson for the department said.
The move comes amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East, where the U.S. inserted itself into Israel’s war with Iran when it attacked Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Those strikes followed Israel’s largest-ever assault on Iran, which began earlier this month.
Some countries and groups in the Middle East, including those that support Iran, condemned President Donald Trump’s move while also urging de-escalation.
Back in Texas, residents with ties to the region say their attention is thousands of miles away, torn by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
“That’s where my heart’s been, and that’s where my faith has been focused on,” said Rabbi Denise Eger, who serves as the interim executive director of an LGBTQ Jewish organization and lives in Austin. “Praying for peace, and praying for peace for the whole world.”
SAPD didn’t provide specifics on how much of its personnel is being redirected to watch over Jewish facilities in the Alamo City, nor for how long. Last week, SAPD and the FBI investigated mass shooting threats aimed at the Barshop Jewish Community Center, taking an unidentified person into custody in another state.
Rhonda Grimm, president of the National Council of Jewish Women San Antonio, said these types of acts should never be normalized and applauded the Jewish Federation of San Antonio for acting swiftly alongside law enforcement.
“We received a great deal of support today, so while tensions are high and there’s anxiety, there’s a very, very strong show of support,” Grimm said on Thursday, when the arrest was made.
She said her organization is dedicated to fighting antisemitism and racism.
“It could be us targeted, it could be another group targeted tomorrow,” Grimm said. “We all look out for each other.”
Hate crimes against Jewish people living in the U.S. surged in late 2023, according to FBI data. The number of reported incidents, which has been wavering between 83 and 138 incidents a month across the country, rose to 333 in October of that year and 390 in November.
The number of anti-Jewish hate crime incidents dropped to 278 in December 2023, which accounts for the most recent available data by the FBI.