A 13-year-old boy has been charged with two misdemeanors after allegedly plotting a mass shooting on a synagogue in Ohio.
The unnamed teen allegedly posted detailed plans to commit mass murder at Temple Israel in Canton on the social media platform Discord on September 1. Interpreting the posts as a threat of violence, Discord reported them to the federal authorities.
“Discord’s Counter-Extremism analysts proactively detected, removed, and reported this user to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center, which is what led to the user’s arrest. We have a zero-tolerance policy against hate and violent extremism, and when we see it, we take immediate action. It is a top priority for Discord to ensure a safe experience for our users,” explained John Redgrave, Discord’s vice president of trust and safety, according to ABC News.
An investigation was subsequently conducted by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office, while several public agencies and the local school system were put on alert, generating “significant public alarm,” according to court documents attained by CNN.
The teen will be tried as a juvenile at Stark County Family Court on charges of inducing panic and disorderly conduct on December 20.
Antisemitism has spiked in the U.S. since the conflict between Hamas and Israel escalated into a full-on war, as previously covered in The Dallas Express. A report from the Anti-Defamation League found that violence directed at the Jewish community jumped 388% between the initial attack by Hamas on October 7 and October 25 compared to the year prior.
“Antisemitism is often referred to as the world’s oldest hatred. The history of anti-Jewish prejudice runs deep and extends back for millennia,” a statement released by the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum last month read.
Public figures ranging from Telsa and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to the University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill have landed in hot water recently over remarks perceived by some as antisemitic, as covered in The Dallas Express. On the other hand, others, including President Joe Biden and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, have planned public events to show their solidarity with those of the Jewish faith, especially during the Hanukkah holiday period, which ends this year on December 15.
