Rep. Fine says alleged confrontation with antisemetic group member shows ‘concerning’ escalation

COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Rep. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne, was involved in a confrontation on his way to a public speaking event Wednesday where he said he was “jumped” by an alleged member of an antisemitic group.

Fine was attending a publicly-advertised event hosted by the Brevard Federated Republican Women at the Space Coast Convention Center, when he had the encounter.

Fine told Florida’s Voice he got out of his car and was walking in when a guy ran up to him with a camera, “got in my face,” introducing himself as a member of the Goyim Defense League. Fine said the man asked him “why won’t you tell the truth about the Jews?” during the incident.

Fine said the event was not a Jewish event, or about antisemitism.

“It wasn’t a Jewish Republican event. It wasn’t about antisemitism. This was just a routine member speaking to his late women’s Republican club,” Fine explained.

“I think it’s an escalation, that is just concerning,” Fine said.

Fine shared images of the group advertising outside of the event with signage. Many of the members were wearing masks.

“I just got jumped by a Nazi with a camera walking into a widely publicized speaking event just now. I’m fine; not sure today will go down as one of his better days,” Fine said.

I just got jumped by a Nazi with a camera walking into a widely publicized speaking event just now. I'm fine; not sure today will go down as one of his better days.

— Rep. Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) October 4, 2023

Law enforcement officials have previously said the group is a “white supremacist neo-Nazi hate group.” The group operates GoyimTV, a video platform that streams “antisemitic content,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Fine posted a picture on the social media platform X of what appeared to be officers talking with the person he believes “jumped” him.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office responded to the event and a case report was not available at the time of publishing, according to law enforcement.

The reporting party told police a “hate group came in and stormed a meeting” at the convention center and described the individuals as five to six men with pants, long sleeves, and masks on, according to the dispatch report. The person told police the group was setting up a large sign at the end of the property.

Fine is the only Jewish Republican elected official in the state. Florida’s Voice previously reported in April, Fine said his son found an antisemitic note in their driveway days after House lawmakers approved legislation to tackle hate crimes.

NBC News previously reported the group is behind “anti-semitic stunts” that have made headlines over the past year. 

In neighboring Volusia County, Sheriff Mike Chitwood previously condemned the group calling them “pure evil” in February following numerous incidents.

According to the sheriff’s office, the group dropped explicit hate propaganda in area neighborhoods and parking lots, draped banners across International Speedway Boulevard, and projected messages onto Daytona International Speedway. The group also recently used megaphones to shout hate speech and terrorize people outside the Chabad of South Orlando.

Fine co-sponsored the state’s latest antisemitism bill in May which increases penalties for intimidating or threatening someone based on religious or ethnic heritage.

“Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the harshest bill in America to hold these Nazis accountable when they cross the line from speech to conduct, so anyone who thinks he, I, or any of my @FLGOPMajority colleagues welcome these idiots are almost as dumb as they are,” Fine said at the time.