‘White supremacist’ propaganda stickers found in Westport, officials say
WESTPORT — Propaganda stickers for a group considered to be white supremacists have recently been discovered on town and state property in Saugatuck, officials announced Thursday.
The stickers have been confirmed as recruitment material for the Patriot Front, officials said in a news release.
The Anti-Defamation League describes Patriot Front as a “white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them, and no one else.”
These stickers were discovered shortly after police say racist graffiti was found on the Interstate 95 pillars, near the stateowned Saugatuck River boat launch and inside a bathroom at Compo Beach on March 1 and March 3, respectively.
“We have no evidence to confirm it but there’s a strong probability that the graffiti that they found at Compo Beach and the boat ramp are linked because of similar language,” Westport Police Lt. Eric Woods said. “Combine that with the stickers and what we’ve seen in town, I would assume it’s the same group.”
Police did not say how many stickers were found but said they were attached to signs in Saugatuck, describing them as “small, and in some cases, old and tattered.”
The stickers included an image of handcuffed fists with the text “free occupied America,” a snake wrapped around what appears to be a baton saying “united we stand,” and another with the words “America first.” Each also includes a link to Patriot Front’s website.
Westport police said they spoke with the Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Unit, who confirmed they have seen material from the Patriot Front in other parts of the country, though there has not been violence associated with the propaganda.
“Patriot Front justifies its ideology of hate and intolerance under the guise of preserving the ethnic and cultural origins of its members’ European ancestors,” according to the ADL’s website.
The ADL said Patriot Front spreads its propaganda through banners, fliers, posters, stickers and the internet and participate in flash demonstrations.
“Since 2019, Patriot Front has been responsible for the vast majority of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States,” the ADL’s website says.
Westport officials denounced the stickers found, saying it does not reflect the community.
“I am grateful to the police for managing the issue with expediency and professionalism,” First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker said in a press release. “This does not represent Westport and is unacceptable. Nor does it diminish the qualities of our community that focus on volunteerism, neighborly engagement, and civil discourse.”
Tooker said the Connecticut ADL, TEAM Westport and local officials will work together “to ensure that Westport is a place where everyone is welcome, and everyone feels that they belong.”
She asked the community to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police department, adding safety is a top priority.
“We can all help do our part as a community in countering these types of incidents by staying alert,” Tooker said. “Together, we can all make sure that Westport is the best place in the region to live, work, play and learn.”
Police Chief Foti Koskinas echoed the sentiment.
“Westport Police Department are engaging and take pride in making Westport a safe and inviting community,” he said.