Title
A Resolution of the City Commission reaffirming the City’s condemnation of antisemitism and bigotry and designating the Mayor as a signatory to the Mayors’ compact to combat hate and extremism.
(Sponsored by Mayor Lago)
(Sponsored by Commissioner Anderson)
(Sponsored by Commissioner Menendez)
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The Coral Gables City Commission has consistently stood against antisemitism, bigotry, and discrimination, as evidenced by Resolution 2019-117, Resolution 2020-225 and Resolution 2021-205. Unfortunately, the Jewish people continue to be a targeted minority in the United States and are consistently the most likely of all religious groups to be victimized by incidents of hate, and such incidents are increasing at an alarming rate.
The City Commission believes state and local officials have a responsibility to protect all citizens from acts of hate and bigotry and therefore wishes to reaffirm its condemnation of antisemitism via this resolution. Additionally, this resolution enumerates ways in which the Coral Gables Police Department has partnered with the Jewish community to make the community safer and authorizes the Mayor to be a signatory to Mayors’ Compact to Combat Hate and Extremism (“Compact”).
The Compact was created by the United States Conference of Mayors and the Anti-Defamation League and has ten key components: 1. Expressly rejecting extremism, racism, and all forms of bigotry, 2. Denouncing all acts of hate wherever they occur, 3. Ensuring public safety while protecting free speech and other basic constitutional rights, 4. Calling for fully resourced law enforcement and civil rights investigations of domestic terrorism and hate crimes, 5. Elevating and prioritizing anti-bias and anti-hate programs in our nation’s schools, 6. Supporting communities and bringing together civic and community leaders to build trust, 7. Celebrating diversity, fostering inclusivity and challenging bias, 8. Promoting professional development for law enforcement on responding to and reporting hate incidents, hate crimes, and domestic terrorism, 9. Encouraging residents in their communities to report hate incidents and crimes, including using hotlines and online tools, and 10. Maintaining civil rights enforcement and improving hate crime laws when necessary.