MISSION VIEJO : Hate-Crime Panel Will Meet Today

What might be the final meeting of a city task force on hate crimes will take place at 9:30 a.m. today in City Hall.

After listening to several speakers, task force members will consider what action the city should take to prevent such crimes in the community.

“We will schedule another meeting if we don’t have time to fully discuss the issues,” said Mayor Robert A. Curtis, a task force member. “But otherwise, we should have some recommendations ready for the City Council, certainly within 30 days.”

Mission Viejo and the surrounding area have seen several acts of violence and threats against minority group members in recent weeks.

For example, in an incident on June 30, a 12-year-old black child was pummeled by a white man who police said was angered at the sight of the boy walking with a group of white children. Civic leaders reacted by forming an anti-hate-crime task force to deal with the apparent rise in racial incidents.

The task force today will hear from the Anti-Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith’s Orange County chapter. A program on race relations for school-age children will be outlined by the group.

Other topics to be discussed include establishing a 24-hour hot line for victims of hate crimes.

“The education we’re receiving as local government will help combat hate crimes in the future,” Curtis said. “I want to make a strong statement on behalf of the community that we will tackle these reprehensible events head-on. We will not ignore or tolerate hate crimes.