Resident urges Newark to stop issuing proclamations to HSS, says endorsements are reused for lobbying

Peter Friedrich used the public comment period on Feb. 11 to press the City Council to stop issuing ceremonial proclamations to the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), saying those city endorsements are collected and repurposed by allied groups at the state and federal level.

"I asked you to stop platforming them and you have not," Friedrich said, alleging HSS is an American arm of India's RSS and that municipal proclamations are gathered into a ‘‘supply chain''that travels to Sacramento and Washington." He cited a Nation magazine investigation he said found HSS collected hundreds of municipal proclamations and, he said, that allied groups later used those endorsements in lobbying campaigns.

Friedrich also tied those endorsements to the Hindu American Foundation's lobbying effort against SB 509, a bill he said would have trained law enforcement to recognize foreign-government targeting of people on U.S. soil. He said some California cities have rescinded HSS proclamations after learning more about the organization.

Council members thanked Friedrich for his remarks; the meeting record shows no immediate action or staff directive to change proclamation procedures.

The council did not take a policy vote or direct staff to change municipal proclamation practices at this meeting.