The FBI is working with the U Police Department to investigate neo-Nazi propaganda handed out with copies of The Daily Utah Chronicle.
On Wednesday morning, someone dropped off old copies of The Chronicle on the front lawns of Blaine Avenue’s 1900 block. The fliers, attached to the campus paper with rubber bands, condemned Jews, blacks and interracial couples and advertised the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi organization headquartered in Detroit.
The FBI is testing the evidence for any indication of who distributed the propaganda and whether or not it is at the level of a hate crime.
“We’re looking at the allegations to see if it was targeting people it mentioned,” said Juan Becerra, spokesman for Utah’s FBI office. At least one interracial couple lives on the block.
The FBI has successfully prosecuted similar cases in Utah, Becerra said. It’s important the agents figure out who distributed the fliers soon because violence has sometimes followed, he said.
“Hopefully we can find who did this,” Becerra said.
U Police did not respond to a request for comment.
Michael McFall