Ohio police chief under investigation for antisemitic messages

A Cleveland Police chief is currently under pressure to resign from his position for allegedly sending racist and antisemitic messages.

According to WHIOTV7 News, Cleveland Police Chief Brian Gerhard's messages are so offensive they cannot be shown on TV.

This antisemitic incident is among countless others that have occurred worldwide since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.

The messages under fire

The text messages that have been discovered include apparent racist, antisemitic, and homophobic content, according to the Ohio news source WOIO.

The messages under investigation allegedly date back to 2019. They include content such as memes featuring Adolf Hitler and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with captions that were inappropriate.

Although Gerhard admitted to sending the messages, he gave little weight to their significance, claiming they were "tongue and cheek." 

"This calls into question every single investigation he's been part of," stated attorney Kimberly Coral, who provided screenshots of the messages Gerhard sent.

The Cleveland mayor's office has confirmed that Gerhard is under investigation. 

A recurring issue

This is just one of the many cases of antisemitism that the state of Ohio has witnessed recently.  

Last week, an Ohio boy pleaded guilty to planning a mass shooting at the Temple Israel synagogue. At his hearing, he was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to submit a book report about Carl Lutz, a World War II diplomat who saved Jews.

Additionally, two antisemitic incidents occurred near Ohio State University in November within 24 hours. 

The first was an assault on two students, while the second was an act of vandalism and anti-Israel statements and threats.

In response to the incidents on campus, acting President Peter J. Mohler stated that "antisemitism is despicable and has no place in our community."

Zvika Klein and Reuters contributed to this report.