Western States Center Statement on Racially Motivated Shooter in Jacksonville

Jacksonville, FL - Over the weekend, in an attack reminiscent of the Buffalo massacre, a white gunman targeted Jacksonville’s Black community, killing three. The gunman, who left behind racist manifestos, painted swastikas on the AR-15 he wielded.

In response, Jill Garvey, chief of staff at Western States Center, a civil rights group working to counter anti-democracy and bigoted forces around the country, issued the following statement: 

“Tragically, and once again, white supremacist violence terrorized and took the lives of  Black people at a shopping center in America. This occurred after an uptick in brazen public displays of antisemitism from the Goyim Defense League in Jacksonville made headlines in recent months. This shooting also comes on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the Buffalo massacre and not long after a mass shooter,  motivated by white nationalist conspiracy theories, murdered eight people in Allen, Texas. 

White supremacist ideology and bigoted conspiracy theories like “great replacement,” which are now commonly touted on social media platforms, cable news networks,  and even in recent televised debates by candidates for elected office,  continue to motivate violence against communities of color. 

“The Buffalo and Allen shooters were admittedly motivated by the great replacement conspiracy theory, which falsely promotes the belief that a global force is working to undermine white political power and white existence. The rhetoric of great replacement theory is full of thinly veiled references claiming Jewish people are the orchestrators of societal changes that benefit Black people and other people of color. 

“Communities historically targeted by anti-Black racism and antisemitism will continue to be terrorized until white nationalism is  forcefully condemned from all corners of the political spectrum and democratic institutions are mobilized to reject it.

“Our country, and our communities, must confront the hateful ideologies motivating this violence - and we must do so head on. That starts with holding accountable elected officials who continue to recklessly espouse the outlandish and  deeply dangerous great replacement conspiracy theory at hearings in Congress and on the campaign trail. Today we call for an end to racist and antisemitic rhetoric that undermines the safety of American communities .”