BOONE, N.C. — Boone police officers were called to the Temple of the High Country Wednesday night after they got a report of someone waving an antisemitic flag on the property.
Officers got to the temple and recovered the flag that had a swastika on it, but the person had left. Investigators said Friday that the person was wearing a mask while this was going on.
“Like many in our community, we, at the Boone Police Department, are disheartened this type of activity occurred in our town,” the police stated in a news release.
Boone police will be working with the leadership of the Temple of The High Country to enhance security.
The police department is also in contact with other local, state, and federal authorities.
Already Friday, police in Boone were working with leadership at the Temple of the High Country to enhance security. Channel 9′s Dave Faherty spotted several security cameras around the building, and authorities said there will be extra patrols there as well.
The Temple of the High Country said they’ve received several emails from people showing their support for the Jewish community.
The Boone Police Department said it is important to note the difference between a hateful act and investigations into a hate crime.
“People have the right to wave flags, even if they’re unpopular with the community at large,” said Boone Police Chief Andy Lebeau. “My personal opinion, it’s a very hateful act but not necessarily a hate crime.”
In a new statement released Wednesday, Chief Lebeau condemned the banner.
“As your police chief, I am cautious to offer my personal opinions during on-going investigations as they are not useful in matters of law,” he said. “I understand what this flag represents, hate. The flag and its meaning certainly opposes my personal values and those of our police department. Additionally, I feel strongly that this hateful act has no moral place in our community.”
Town officials planned to adopt an antisemitism resolution on Wednesday.
Friday afternoon, Boone Police released a picture of the suspect and asked for help identifying him. Police said he was spotted at a convenience store after the incident. He’s seen wearing a black ski mask, a black jacket, and camouflage pants.
Students at Appalachian State like Ben Goldman say they’re heartbroken by what happened. Goldman, a member of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, said he believes it rises to the level of a hate crime.
“If you take the symbol used by the people who killed 6 million Jews in the Holocaust and you take the symbol that they used there, that clearly means you don’t want Jewish people around at all,” Goldman told Channel 9.
The Temple of the High Country shared a statement on its website in response to the flag.
“We want to acknowledge the recent anti-Semitic act which took place near the Temple Wednesday night. A little before 7:30 in the evening, several drivers on King Street took the time to report an individual waving a Nazi flag in front of our temple. Shortly after, two AEPi brothers riding a bus observed that flag draped over the Temple’s sign. They got off the bus, removed the flag, and reported the incident.
Law enforcement response was swift. Within minutes, an officer was on the scene to interview the students and retain the flag as evidence. Since then, we have received multiple phone calls from Boone police officers, including the Chief of Police, who expressed his concern and support, and pledged to increase police presence in our area for the immediate future, including while the Students of App State are leading our worship services this Friday evening.
The university has also been prompt in its support for us. By the time you read this, we will have had several conversations with key ASU leaders, including their Chief Diversity Officer, as well as concerned students who wished to express their support.
We want to reassure our congregants that the security measures we have had in place for the past year continue; and heightened security features are already being implemented for your personal safety whenever you or your loved ones visit our Temple in person.”
The investigation is ongoing.
(WATCH BELOW: Amid racist incidents in North Carolina, experts see increase in hate speech posts on social media)
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