Man accused of distributing antisemitic flyers in Pittsburgh identified

PITTSBURGH — Police have identified a suspect accused of throwing baggies containing antisemitic messages into the front yards in two Western Pennsylvania counties.

Around two weeks ago, police collected over 100 fliers just in Squirrel Hill, plus some in Shadyside and Peters Township, Washington County.

Now, Jeremy Brokaw, 45, of Zanesville, Ohio, has been issued more than 160 traffic citations. Police said each citation carries a $300 fine, which in total is around $48,000.

A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety said that Peters Township, Washington County, also issued the same citations for violations in that jurisdiction.

The spokesperson added that the district attorney was only able to charge for traffic citations, saying that the person did not make threats and was within his First Amendment rights.

Last month, witnesses said a Dodge Durango with Ohio license plates and three to four people inside tossed the baggies out of the car window while yelling slurs.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh said they know the national group behind this, which is known for flyers with a shock factor. The Jewish Federation added that this group usually operates under the cover of darkness, which makes this all the more frightening.

“With this particular group, they were so blatant, they did this in broad daylight, between 6-8 p.m.,” Shawn Brokos with the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh said. “People were out, it was a beautiful night. It’s disturbing to see them escalating and being so vocal about it.”

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