On February 17 and 18, 2023, approximately 15 individuals associated with the virulently antisemitic Goyim Defense League (GDL) distributed propaganda and protested across Florida. Many of the participants traveled from out of state, including individuals from Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
GDL is a network of rabidly antisemitic provocateurs led by Jon Minadeo who recently relocated to Florida from California. GDL’s overarching goal is to expel Jews from America. To that end, they cast aspersions on Jews and spread antisemitic myths and conspiracy theories in hopes of turning Americans against the Jewish people.
On Friday, February 17, 2023, the GDL demonstrated in front of the Chabad of South Orlando, holding signs and shouting slurs and obscenities at pedestrians and motorists for several hours. The next day, approximately ten individuals associated with the neo-Nazi NatSoc Florida joined GDL members in a protest outside the Daytona International Speedway, unfurling antisemitic banners on a pedestrian bridge reading, “Communism is Jewish” and “Henry Ford was right about the Jews.” Partipants also distributed propaganda and harassed pedestrians.
Later that evening, the same group used a laser projector to cast antisemitic messages on the stadium, including, “Jews outlaw free speech HP 269” and “Hitler was right.” The group then dispersed to distribute propaganda in nearby neighborhoods.
Participants identified by the ADL Center on Extremism:
Samuel David Nine and Sean Gugerty of Arizona
Joseph Bounds of Colorado
Jon Minadeo, Colby Frank and Garrett Newman of Florida
Michael Weaver, Philip Jacobs and Hillary Jacobs of Georgia
Jonathan Baldwin of Indiana
Nicholas Bysheim of Maryland
Gunner Brand of New Jersey
David Kim of Pennsylvania
Jeffrey Kidder of Wisconsin
