BRISTOL, Conn. — Residents in Bristol are on edge after offensive fliers were strewn across streets by the hundreds.
Whoever distributed the fliers did so quickly, Bristol police said. They weren’t put into mailboxes or left on people's doors, they were simply thrown everywhere on lawns and driveways across multiple neighborhoods.
Those same neighborhoods have homes with lawn signs that read, "Be kind" and "Let your Love Light Shine."
“We're a very diverse town,” said Mike Mecteau of Bristol.
“I’m mortified. I think that’s awful,” added Olivia Martel. “I’ve lived in this neighborhood and grew up and know people don’t support this.”
“All people -- we belong to each other and it almost makes me want to cry,” Charleen Pierce said.
Among those who found the fliers was Joe Guerin. He’s lived in the area for 50 years.
“We have a friendly neighborhood. I want to keep it that way,” Guerin said.
The fliers claim to be from the New England Nationalist Social Club, known for its neo-Nazi and white supremacist ideologies. The fliers say the group is raising “Authentic resistance to the enemies of our people,” and “oppose the criminal anti-American and anti-white street gangs such as MS13, Black Lives Matter and Antifa.”
“It’s just kind of disgusting to think that that kind of thing is going on around here. I grew up here my whole life and I’ve never seen anything like that before,” reacted Mecteau.
The fliers were thrown around just feet from a middle school, where the concern was students walking home would pick them up.
When asked what she would say to the person who distributed the fliers, Charlene Pierce said, “I hope you are sorry. I hope you think in your heart about what you are doing and what you do matters.”
The Bristol police have opened an investigation into the incident. They are asking for anyone with surveillance video or knowledge of a person in the area Monday afternoon to come forward, because while the content of the fliers is considered free speech that person could be cited for illegal dumping.
Similar flyers were found in West Hartford neighborhoods about a month ago.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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