Orange County Vice Chair Katrina Foley, who represents Newport Beach on the Board of Supervisors, condemned antisemitic flyers distributed in Coto de Caza and confirmed that the Orange County Sheriff's Department has launched an investigation with federal partners.

Foley's office reported the incident to both the Sheriff's Department and the Orange County District Attorney's Office, according to a press release issued Tuesday, July 28. The Sheriff's Department then opened a probe through the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center, a regional fusion center whose primary focus is anti-terrorism and which coordinates with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

"These hateful acts seek to intimidate, manipulate, and spread fear with the goal of pitting our neighbors against one another. This weaponized division will never define Orange County," Foley said in the statement. "I unequivocally condemn antisemitism, white supremacy, and every form of hate directed at our Jewish community or any resident."

Key details remain unknown. The press release did not describe the content of the flyers, how many were distributed, or where in Coto de Caza they appeared.

Foley's office also contacted Jewish community leaders and asked the Orange County Human Relations Commission to review the incident. The commission produces an annual hate crimes report and provides victim support services.

Under California law, distribution of non-threatening antisemitic flyers in a public place is classified as a hate incident rather than a hate crime, according to a 2022 OC Human Relations Commission report. If the behavior escalates to threats against a person or property, it would be reclassified as a crime. Foley's press release did not specify how the Sheriff's Department is classifying the Coto de Caza case.

Rising antisemitic incidents countywide

The incident comes amid a documented rise in antisemitic activity across Orange County. A 2024-2025 Orange County Grand Jury report found that Jewish residents, who make up just over 2% of the county's population, are disproportionately targeted. The Anti-Defamation League documented 88 antisemitic incidents in the Orange County/Long Beach region in 2023, up from 55 the prior year.

In the most recent year of available data, 2022, antisemitism accounted for 87% of religiously motivated hate incidents reported in Orange County, according to the Human Relations Commission.

Why this matters in Newport Beach

Foley represents District 5, which includes Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and unincorporated communities including Coto de Caza. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her second term on the board.

No follow-up meeting date or investigation timeline has been announced. "My office will continue working alongside law enforcement, community leaders, and our regional partners to ensure this incident receives a swift and thorough investigation," Foley said. Residents who witness a hate crime or hate incident can report it to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.