x
Breaking News
More () »

Offensive flyers left at homes, synagogue in Clear Lake

The flyers were promoting disgusting groups like the ones who rallied last year in Charlottesville.

At a house of worship off El Camino Real, two men left racist flyers on the star of David at a well-known synagogue in Clear Lake.

"When I saw what group it was, a switch flipped, and I just pulled them down," said Lisa Gallo Roth.

The flyers were promoting disgusting groups like the ones who rallied last year in Charlottesville. Roth isn't a member of Congregation Shaar Hashalom, but she knew what she saw couldn't be tolerated.

"They don't have the guts to come talk face to face, so they drop off flyers under the cover of night," Roth said.

She reported it to synagogue leadership. The flyers were turned over to Houston Police and the Anti-Defamation League. Both are now investigating.

"This doesn't belong here," said Ron Zaguli, past president of the synagogue. "We're a community of love -- not hate."

Twenty-four-hour surveillance cameras captured two masked men taking selfies with the flyers in front of the synagogue. But the flyers weren't just plastered at Shaar Hashalom. That same night, they were dropped off at different homes in Clear Lake.

"Somebody who's wearing a mask isn't supporting the community. They're rising up against the community and what we stand for," Zaguli said.

The ADL reports anti-semitic incidents rose nearly 60 percent in 2017, the largest one-year increase on record. Zaguli says this was a hate crime against the entire Clear Lake community. He's grateful Roth came forward and Clear Lake is united.

"This is a non-Jew who said we don't have room for this in our community, and she acted," Zaguli said. "We won't tolerate this, we don't need this in our community, go find something else to do with your life."

If you have any information about who may be behind the flyers, call Houston Police and the ADL.

Before You Leave, Check This Out