Flyers for white supremacist organization left in Massachusetts neighborhoods

EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – A New England neo-Nazi group has been putting flyers on people’s yards in Easthampton.

There are several white supremacist flyers in plastic baggies on many people’s yards on Strong Avenue in Easthampton.

“It doesn’t have a place in our communities,” Easthampton residents have been calling their local police department about flyers on their yards from a white supremacist group called the National Socialist Club 131.

According to the southern poverty law group, NSC-131 is a New England neo-Nazi group that stages protests and distributes hate literature. The group has targeted New England’s immigrant, LGBTQ+, and Jewish communities, as well as antifascist activists.

Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle says this is not her first time hearing about this group, “not surprised that these activities are going on Easthampton. We saw the same group in front of the governor’s house and we know that there has been other activity in the past.”

According to the law group, some NSC-131 members have already faced criminal charges, in some cases related to their racist activism. But that has not stopped them, flyers are still being distributed in Easthampton.

On the back, they are trying to recruit people for their group.

Mayor Lachappelle says this will not be tolerated in the city of Easthampton and there is currently an ongoing investigation.

“We have a local ordinance which does not allow folks to randomly solicit or share information just by throwing it onto a driveway unless they have a subscription. We are going to look at that too and we have done that in the past,” Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said.

Safety officials are encouraging residents with a ring camera who found these flyers on their lawn to send in footage to the mayor’s office or the police department.

“The flyers in plastic baggies were thrown from a vehicle or vehicles between approximately 4:30 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. Anyone with a description or video of the vehicle or vehicles involved is asked to contact the Easthampton Police Detective Bureau at 413-527-1212,” Easthampton Police Department.

In addition, the Westfield Police Department reports that residents in the Western Ave area also received fliers in a small plastic bag weighted with small stones. The police say that they were likely thrown from a vehicle. Anyone in Westfield who has a description or video of the vehicle involved is asked to contact the Westfield Detective Bureau at 413-572-6400.