Case Explained: Officials call for stronger hate crime laws after temple attack – Legal Perspective

METRO DETROIT — Jewish local and state officeholders gathered in Detroit March 16 for a press conference against antisemitism and in support of antiterrorism legislation.

The press conference led by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was in response to the March 12 attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, in which a man drove a car into the side of the synagogue and engaged in a shootout with security that ended with his death.

“It shouldn’t have been inevitable, it doesn’t have to continue, but it’s on all of us to stop it,” Nessel told the crowd. “I’d like to thank my fellow Jewish elected officials: Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg, state Sen. Jeremy Moss,  state Reps. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) and Samantha Steckloff (D-Farmington Hills) for joining me today to discuss these concerns, and the work that lies ahead of us as we continue to combat and tackle the growing problem of antisemitism and domestic terrorism here in Michigan.”

Each of the officials who spoke have strong ties with Temple Israel.

“It is one of the largest reformed synagogues in the world, and nearly 20% of Oakland County’s Jewish residents are members of Temple Israel,” Wittenberg said. 

There are three main branches of modern Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, which is the most liberal of the three. 

Temple Israel is where most Jewish people living in Oakland County have attended an event and know someone who goes there, according to Wittenberg. 

“Thursday’s attack was an attack on my home in more ways than one,” said Arbit. “Temple Israel and West Bloomfield have shaped me and made me the person I am today.” 

Arbit sponsored the Michigan Hate Crime Act and the Institutional Desecration Act, through which Michigan has some of the most stringent hate crime laws in the United States, including the federal government, said the attorney general. 

Moss explained how the attack on Temple Israel goes beyond bigotry.

“It’s been an agonizing time for the Jewish community,” Moss said. “Antisemitic conspiracies are vast, come from every direction and on both political extremes, and are incredibly dangerous. … There should be a consensus around tackling antisemitism.”

Wittenburg noted that Jewish people make up 1% of Michigan’s population, with about 110,000 people in the state, of which 60,000 live in Oakland County.

To further improve laws, consensus with more communities will be needed.

The metro Detroit area is a melting pot, Steckloff said, adding that prominent media figures are attempting to drive a wedge between the Jewish community and the communities that have traditionally supported them.

“Whether it’s the Jews and the Blacks, the Jews and the Chaldeans, and the Jews and the Muslims, we have stood together for 80 years,” Steckloff said. “I want to make it clear, America: the media will not break this relationship.”

In 2019, Nessel launched the Hate Crime and Domestic Terrorism unit within the Michigan Department of Attorney General.  This was to combat the rise of hate crimes in the state, but she said additional hate crime laws are still needed.

“These laws are quite simply murder prevention,” Nessel said.

She differentiated between “hate” and “hate crimes.”

“Let me be clear: hate itself is not a crime. Our civil liberties protect our right to speak cruelly, hatefully, and even despicably about our neighbors in our communities,” Nessel said. 

“My office prosecutes criminal offenses,” she continued. “When that crime, whether it’s against a person or a property, is also driven by hate against a particular group, then my office will act with heightened urgency and prosecute. Because an attack on one community is a threat to all of us.”

She encouraged people to be vigilant, saying that if you see something suspicious, be sure to report it to authorities. Look for red flags such as individuals with grievances, who may feel wronged by real or perceived experiences at work or in personal relationships.

Another red flag is violent ideation, where a person seems fixated on thoughts, fantasies or urges that involve harming or killing themselves or others.

Yet another red flag is researching and purchasing new weapons, tactical clothing or large amounts of explosive materials. Assailants will often scout a location before an attack, as well, looking for surveillance cameras and security. 

The attack is the final step.

“There is not always a linear path,” Nessel said.  “We have ways to stop the attack.”

All 106 children were returned home safely to their parents from the preschool at Temple Israel.  According to law enforcement and public safety, this was due to the training of the teachers and staff with the FBI a few weeks prior to the attack.

Steckloff is also a member of Temple Israel. Her sister-in-law and almost 2-year-old niece were on their way to tour the preschool on the day of the attack.  

The state representative attended Shabbat services Friday, which are Sabbath services in the Jewish tradition. 

“Our rabbi reminded us of something very powerful,” Steckloff said. “(On) Thursday, we experienced a miracle (surviving the attack) — and you don’t ignore miracles.”