White supremacist stickers found around State College. What’s being done — and how you can help
State College borough is currently investigating — and asking the public for help — after stickers from a white supremacist group were found Thursday in at least 10 locations around town on street signs, light posts, benches, and more.
Borough spokesperson Douglas Shontz said they first received reports of the stickers Thursday, when code enforcement was not on duty, and the borough’s code enforcement officers began removing the stickers by early Friday morning.
“We’re a town that welcomes the First Amendment, but hate speech has no place in that discussion,” Shontz said. “We condemn this group that’s trying to spread a dangerous message. This type of speech, this hate speech, is very dangerous and the repercussions are negative. And that’s something that’s not supported in this community and not welcomed here.”
Added Council President Jesse Barlow: “I condemn this group in the strongest possible terms. They are a hate group and their propaganda does not belong in our community.”
The stickers are essentially being treated as graffiti, and residents are asked to report any stickers around town via the online graffiti-reporting form, or by calling the borough at 234-7100. Shontz said code enforcement is recording the stickers’ locations and passing the information to the police, with the ultimate goal of identifying the individual(s) involved.
Although the individuals are not yet known, the group responsible had its name listed on each sticker — “Patriot Front,” which the Southern Poverty Law Center recognizes as a hate group. One sticker, for example, featured an image of America colored blue with the text, “Not Stolen. Conquered.”
According to the SPLC and other reports, Patriot Front started in 2017 with a Texas teenager who broke off from a neo-Nazi group called Vanguard America. Patriot Front is known for supporting homophobia, white supremacy, antisemitism and fascism.
In October, Buzzfeed reported the group was preparing for violence if President Donald Trump lost the election to Joe Biden. On Wednesday, rioters invaded the U.S. Capitol Building in what many Republicans and Democrats have jointly referred to as one of America’s darkest days.
The borough made the issue known Friday morning on Twitter.
“It’s not that we’re taking it more seriously given the circumstances,” Shontz clarified, “but everyone’s on edge, so we thought we should make a statement this morning letting people know we are following up on it.”
It’s not the first time the hate group has posted similar stickers around other communities. In July 2019, similar stickers were found littered in downtown Indiana, Pennsylvania. Stickers and/or flyers from the group have also been found from Boston to Washington state and Texas.
The group’s leader was arrested in August after placing stickers on signs near the Parker County Courthouse in Weatherford, Texas. He was released after being charged with criminal mischief and jailed on a $500 bond.
This is believed to be the first time stickers from the group were found in State College.
“We strive here to ensure everyone feels welcome,” Shontz added, “that hate speech has no place in this community.”
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 11:46 AM.
