Highland Park’s mayor released a message to residents after an antisemitic crime left many in the Chicago suburb “shaken” and sparked a massive police response over the weekend.
Mayor Nancy Rotering said the incident was “a reminder that even in a place like Highland Park—where we strive to lead with compassion and inclusion—hate can still find its way to our doorstep.”
A threatening letter with antisemitic comments found inside a mailbox drew a large police and hazmat team presence Sunday night, with the FBI and State Terrorism and Intelligence Center still working to investigate.
About 8:30 p.m. police in Highland Park responded to a home in the 900 block of Marion Avenue, in the Braeside neighborhood of the northern suburb.
A preliminary investigation revealed the letter was sent through the United States Postal Service. After hazmat testing, the letter was deemed nontoxic by the Hazardous Material Team, police said.
“Let me say this clearly: Highland Park condemns antisemitism in all its forms. It has no place in our city,” Rotering said in her address. “We are living through a time when antisemitism is rising—not only across the world, but here at home. That reality is painful and for many in our community, it is personal. We understand the fear, the hurt, and the anger that such acts provoke. We also understand the pride and strength that come from standing firm in who we are, and in what we believe. Jewish families have been part of the story and the fabric of Highland Park for generations. Their contributions to our civic, cultural, and spiritual life are deep and enduring. That legacy will not be erased or overshadowed by hate.”
Highland Park police called the incident “deeply disturbing, frightening and offensive.”
The statement went on to say that, due to increased concerns around “global antisemitic activity,” Highland Park police implemented a close watch on houses of worship and other significant sites in the area.
The incident comes less than a month after two Israeli embassy staffers were gunned down outside a Jewish Museum in Washington D.C., and weeks after more than a dozen people were injured when a man threw homemade firebombs at a group in Boulder, Colorado, who were raising awareness for hostages still in captivity by Hamas in Gaza.
In both incidents, the suspect was heard shouting “Free Palestine.”
In response to the “alarming rise of antisemitism” Chicago Ald. Debra Silverstein is introducing a resolution calling for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) to hold public hearings, saying more than one-third of every hate crime reported in Chicago in 2024 targeted a Jewish community.
“Antisemitism is not a distant problem—it is here in Chicago, in our streets, on our campuses, and even in our schools,” Silverstein said in a statement. “In just the past year, we have seen an unprecedented surge in antisemitic hate crimes and violent attacks targeting Jewish Chicagoans. This resolution is a first step toward treating this issue with the urgency it demands.”
“We are sounding the alarm now—before more violence occurs,” she added.
Rotering said her city is “committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every resident” and stands with “anyone who feels afraid or targeted.”
“We will not be intimidated. We will not be silent. We will meet hate with unity—and with the full strength of our community,” she said.
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The full statement from Mayor Rotering can be found below:
An act of antisemitism reported in our community tonight has shaken many of us, and understandably so. It is a reminder that even in a place like Highland Park—where we strive to lead with compassion and inclusion—hate can still find its way to our doorstep.
Let me say this clearly: Highland Park condemns antisemitism in all its forms. It has no place in our city.
We are living through a time when antisemitism is rising—not only across the world, but here at home. That reality is painful and for many in our community, it is personal. We understand the fear, the hurt, and the anger that such acts provoke. We also understand the pride and strength that come from standing firm in who we are, and in what we believe.
Jewish families have been part of the story and the fabric of Highland Park for generations. Their contributions to our civic, cultural, and spiritual life are deep and enduring. That legacy will not be erased or overshadowed by hate.
This incident is being taken seriously by our Police Department. We are, as always, committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every resident.
To anyone who feels afraid or targeted: please know that you are not alone. Your city stands with you.
We will not be intimidated. We will not be silent. We will meet hate with unity—and with the full strength of our community.
Nancy R. Rotering, Mayor, City of Highland Park, IL
Police encouraged community members to report any suspicious or concerning activity to the Highland Park public safety non-emergency line at, at 847-432-7730.
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