'This Is An Act Of Cowardice:' Connecticut Residents Find White Supremacist Fliers Near Homes
NORWALK, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Police are investigating the appearance of white supremacist fliers in several Connecticut communities.
Hundreds of printed fliers were found on driveways and in mailboxes along the Newtown Turnpike in Westin, Wilton, Wesport and Norwalk on Monday, according to published reports.
The fliers read, "We must secure the existence of our race and a future for white children. Make America White Again.'' Officials said the fliers also list a link to a white nationalist website.
Local officials and residents swiftly denounced and condemned the racist leaflets.
"This is an act of cowardice, this is not what Norwalk or our area represents. We are better than this," Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling told WCBS 880. "We condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms and we will do everything we can to find the person or persons responsible for sending out this message of hate."
"I'd say promote love not hate," said Doug Cling, a lifelong resident of Norwalk's Canbury neighborhood.
"In this day and age for groups like this to be even in existence is very sad, and it's kind of scary that there's these people out there," resident Tom Giafardino said. "I guess cancer spreads wherever it can."
Since the leaflets made no threat, the opinion expressed in the fliers is protected speech, but Rilling said they're working with prosecutors to determine what crimes have occurred.
"They've talked about the possibility this is protected speech, but in the crime of breach of peace all a person has to do is cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm and that rises to the level of the breach of the peace," Rilling said. "The fact that there's a racist message it could very well be a bias crime."
Police are investigating with help from the FBI.
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