Editor’s note: This article was reported and written before Tropical Storm Helene. Xpress added an update to include slurs directed at Jewish people in the wake of the storm.
For the past year, residents have seen visible displays of the disparate views of the Israel-Hamas war. What started as civil protests, including appeals to Asheville City Council, banners and demonstrations, have devolved into more aggressive incidents: a swastika painted on a restaurant window, a melee at the West Asheville Public Library and more recently, defaced campaign signs.
While the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel shone a light on the Middle East conflict and its complexity, disagreements within the Jewish community and simmering antisemitism in Western North Carolina are nothing new.
History of hate
Since 2019, the Asheville Police Department has reported 12 anti-religion hate crimes, resulting in 15 charges, all of them anti-Jewish. Three occurred this year, one in April and two in June. These figures do not reflect incidents where charges were not filed…