Police On Alert, Discover Scattered Leaflets With Hate Symbols Across Town

The United States is in a pretty delicate state right now, not just because of the rising cases of COVID-19 but also because of some political matters. President-elect Joe Biden is all set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 but there is reason to believe that some kind of protest may happen.

Ashland police are now looking into the leaflets with swastikas left at several business establishments. Local authorities found the leaflets posted near Railroad avenue at around 6:40 a.m. on Sunday with some containing the message: “We are everywhere.”

Aside from that, there were no reports of vandalism or criminal behavior. The incident was shared with federal law enforcement partners and it has yet to be established if this is in any way tied to regional events.

Ashland Mayor Steve Trivett responded by saying they will pick up the litter but are in no way intimidated by the threats.

"Ashlanders will never be intimidated or influenced by any of the sour and sick extremisms that desire power yet deserve none. In Ashland we reserve our 'extremisms' for compassion, fellowship, and respect for others," Mayor Trivett said.

Some private video footage showed several individuals lurking in the downtown area at around 3:00 a.m. last Jan. 17. Ashland police are now requesting other business owners to review their security camera footages to help aid them in their investigation.

“This action is despicable. This brand of hate and division has no place in Ashland or anywhere else,” said Ashland Police Chief Doug Goodman. “We will continue to investigate this case and pursue enforcement actions as allowed by the Code of Virginia.”

The FBI warned that protests across all 50 state capitols leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden may occur. Security has been heightened in the aftermath of the US Capitol Hill attacks that happened weeks ago.

Ashland Police are calling on the public who may have any information on the incident. They can be reached at (804) 365-6140 or leave a tip at https://www.ashlandva.gov/224/Crime-Tips. Anyone with any information can remain anonymous.