West Linn council issues proclamations condemning hate after public comments on antisemitism

A majority of the West Linn City Council issued proclamations Monday condemning bias and antisemitism and declaring Jan. 20, 2025, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, after members of the public urged the council to adopt guidance to counter rising antisemitic incidents.

The declarations were preceded by public comment from a West Linn resident representing the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, who urged the city to adopt state and federal guidance to protect local Jewish residents. "The latest FBI data reflects record high numbers of anti Jewish hate crimes in 02/2023 at almost 12,000 incidents, an increase of 63% from 02/2022," the speaker said, and added that in Oregon "we are the most targeted religious group with 450 calls to the DOJ incidents hotline." (Speaker identified in the meeting as Michelle, Jewish Federation of Greater Portland; West Linn resident.)

Why it matters: Council members said the proclamations are a public acknowledgment that bias incidents have been reported locally and that the city seeks to reaffirm inclusive community values. The council expressly condemned "all forms of racism, religious discrimination, antisemitism, bigotry, bias, and hate speech" in the community proclamation they adopted.

During public comment Michelle described incidents she and her family experienced in local schools and urged the council to implement guidance cited in her remarks, including the State Department’s mayor’s guide to countering antisemitism and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. "The resolution before us tonight is an important step in the right direction of fighting all kinds of hate from the right and the left," she said.

Councilor Graner, who read the community-belonging proclamation, prefaced the proclamation with a recounting of a recent local incident and his family history with the Holocaust. He told the council that police had investigated a mailbox vandalism incident reported in late November and that the case had been suspended for lack of evidence. "Nazis murdered members of my family including my grandparents and my 3 year old sisters," he said. "So if I do not speak out against Nazi symbols of hate, who will?"

The proclamations were entered into the record and will be signed by Mayor Rory Bialystoski and City Recorder Kathy Malusky. The council did not adopt an ordinance or regulation during this meeting; the actions were proclamations and statements of policy position.

Council and staff responses: Council members thanked speakers for coming and noted this was one step among many that the city can take to promote safety and belonging. A member of the public asked the council to follow the State Department and federal strategy referenced in public comments; the council accepted the remarks and incorporated the proclamations into the meeting record.

Next steps: The proclamations signal council attention to bias incidents and provide a public record; the meeting transcript records residents offering the council resources and suggesting presentations by Jewish organizations to help the city implement education and safety measures. The council did not, in this meeting, adopt specific new city rules or funding tied to the proclamations.

Ending: The council moved on to other agenda items after entering the proclamations into the record.