New Jersey white supremacist jailed for planning another “Kristallnacht”

A white supremacist from New Jersey faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of at least $250,000 (£180,000) following his conviction for vandalising synagogues in an antisemitic rampage he called “Kristallnacht”.

In court, Richard Tobin, 19, pleaded guilty to conspiring to vandalise synagogues and to other acts of anti-Jewish and anti-Black racism. Mr Tobin allegedly conspired with members of The Base, a white supremacist hate group. Using online communications, he allegedly told its members in September 2019 to vandalise and destroy buildings and vehicles belonging to Jewish and Black Americans. He called the operation “Kristallnacht”, referencing the Nazi pogrom in 1938 when thousands of synagogues and businesses were destroyed, Jews were murdered Jews and their belongings torched in a prelude to the Holocaust.

Members of The Base allegedly vandalised synagogues in Wisconsin and Michigan, spray painting them with swastikas and other hate symbols. Mr Tobin’s co-conspirator, Yousef Omar Barasneh, also pleaded guilty to vandalising the Wisconsin synagogue.

Michael Driscoll, the FBI agent who brought the conspirators to justice, said: “Richard Tobin encouraged others to victimise innocent people, in furtherance of his abhorrent white supremacist beliefs.”

Mr Driscoll added: “While we all have the right to believe whatever we want, when those views lead to violence, that’s a different and dangerous story.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism has expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.