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Skokie leaders condemn hate incidents, urge residents to report and join 'Stand Up Skokie' campaign
Summary
Mayor and trustees condemned recent incidents at the Festival of Cultures, highlighted the new Stand Up Skokie campaign with the Park District, and urged residents to report hate incidents so the village and partners can document and respond. A public commenter criticized police response and urged more proactive victim support.
Mayor Enid Tennis opened the June 1 Village Board meeting by condemning "all forms of hate and hate speech" and saying the village is working closely with community partners, including the Skokie Park District and the Human Relations Commission, on a new Stand Up Skokie campaign launched around the Festival of Cultures.
The remarks framed the board's opening agenda and were echoed by trustees who asked residents to report incidents so police and other partners can document and respond. "If you see something, say something," Trustee Kamani Levy said, urging victims to use village resources and sign the "Be Kind" pledge. Trustee Keith Robinson stressed the difference between hate incidents and hate crimes and said reporting helps the village allocate resources to prevent escalation.
At public comment, resident M. E. M. Uchi said she reviewed the full 15‑minute video of the Festival incident and urged the police to be more proactive in supporting victims and eliciting information rather than "rushing the offender away." "I would have hoped that the Skokie police had been a little more proactive and taken the initiative," Uchi said, calling for greater empathy from officers and more active support for victims who may be reluctant to report.
The board said the Human Relations Commission has been working on response measures since last fall and that the Stand Up Skokie outreach is one piece of a broader, multi‑partner effort. Officials said they are tracking data to focus resources and will continue coordination with faith leaders, schools, the Park District, and other partners. No formal policy vote took place at the meeting; trustees characterized the work as ongoing and emphasized education, reporting, and partnership as next steps.
The board invited residents who witness or experience incidents to use village reporting channels so staff and public safety partners can collect data and plan targeted support and interventions.
