New California legislation is looking to curb hate littering. Its defined as the act of spreading flyers or other material with hateful messaging on them targeting protected communities. San Diego experienced several incidents last year of antisemitic flyers being put on car windshields in historically Jewish neighborhoods.
The bill looks to update existing law that prohibits intimidation by threat of violence to include hate littering.
The author of the bill is Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward from San Diego, who said, "We have to recognize that these actions go beyond an expression of free speech. These flyers are a deliberate effort to intimidate and terrify the people they are targeting to turn neighbors against neighbors and make the victim afraid to be themselves."
Ward says there is currently a gray area when trying to prosecute these incidents and this law would clear that up. A report from Attorney General Rob Bonta showed hate crimes in California increased by 20 percent from 2021 to 2022.
