Councilmembers voted to add funding to the county’s security grant program for houses of worship and nonprofits.
County Council Vice President Andrew Friedson suggested increasing the proposed $100,000 from the County Executive by more than $200,000 to $311,700. The $311,700 amount was approved unanimously on Tuesday.
Councilmember Kate Stewart said increasing the amount will let the county give emergency funding to 73 organizations identified as in need, due to concerns about increasing acts of hate and violence. She said the funding will allow the council to keep the $900,000 allotted for the grants in the operating budget.
“Our community is hurting right now, and people are in fear,” Friedson said. He said that is certainly true for the Muslim and Jewish communities, but also true for many communities. He added that there are now reports of the Sikh community being targeted by those who do not know the difference between Muslims and Sikhs.
“It is a threat to one and another community, but it’s a threat — in many ways — to all communities,” Friedson said.
He pointed out crimes across the country, including the shooting of three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont and the killing of a Jewish man attending a rally in California.
Also Tuesday, Gov. Wes Moore announced $1 million in additional funding for hate crime prevention grants.
