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Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz issued the following statement on Wednesday, denouncing Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s response to the shooting of an Orthodox Jewish man walking to a Far North Side synagogue on Shabbat last weekend:
“Mayor Brandon Johnson’s failure to recognize and condemn the antisemitic nature of the shooting of a Jewish man on his way to synagogue on Saturday marks a disturbing abdication of his civic duty to be a leader for all Chicagoans. The first step to fighting antisemitism is identifying it, yet Mayor Johnson proved to be incapable of this essential task, even when faced with a blatant incident of violence targeting Jews. Furthermore, the recent appointment by Mayor Johnson of a School Board president with a history of online antisemitic rhetoric only adds to the concerns of the Jewish community of Chicago and beyond.”
‘This shocking situation in Chicago further underscores the urgent need for municipal leaders to be equipped with the knowledge and tools to understand and confront all forms of contemporary antisemitism, and the Combat Antisemitism Movement looks forward to hosting more than 200 mayors in Beverly Hills, California, in December for the 2024 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, which will focus on collaborative cities-oriented approaches to the common mission of securing and nurturing Jewish life in cities across North America.”
Mayor Johnson’s statement that did not mention the victim’s religion or the antisemitic nature of the shooting can be viewed below:
Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the victim and his loved ones from this weekend’s shooting incident that took place in Rogers Park. All Chicagoans deserve to feel safe and protected across the city. There is more work to be done, and we are committed to diligently… pic.twitter.com/5N9CDL1Nxr
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) October 29, 2024
