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Speakers at Newark City Council public comment urge officials to stop honoring HSS, allege ties to RSS
Summary
Two public commenters urged the council to stop platforming an organization they identified as HSS, alleging links to the RSS and calling it a violent, majoritarian organization; speakers asked the council to cease awarding proclamations and photo ops for HSS.
During public comment on Sept. 23, two speakers urged the City Council to stop engaging with and honoring an organization they identified as HSS, which the first speaker linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and described as promoting an ideology called Hindutva. The speakers said city photo ops and proclamations that have honored HSS were inappropriate given the organization’s alleged ties and behavior; they provided informational packets to council members.
What was said and who said it: Peter Friedrich said city leaders have repeatedly honored the HSS and that external civil‑rights and human‑rights organizations characterize the RSS as militant and responsible for violence against minorities. Friedrich cited statements he attributed to historical RSS leaders criticizing religious minorities and described HSS as the RSS’s international wing; he urged council members to “close the door” on HSS. A second commenter echoed those concerns and urged distance from HSS and RSS, referenced past California legislation on caste discrimination (SB 403 was mentioned by the speaker) and said opposition to that bill in India involved RSS‑linked groups.
What the council did: comments were delivered during the public‑comment period; no council action followed during the meeting. Mayor Michael Hanna thanked speakers and closed public comment.
Caveats and context: these remarks are the views of public commenters. The city did not present an official finding on HSS or RSS during the meeting and did not take any formal action in response. The speakers referenced external organizations and reports; the council did not substantively debate or verify the allegations on the record during the meeting.
