Outrage as racist, Nazi stickers spotted in downtown Warren

Anonymous donor offers $200 reward for information

By Ted Hayes
Posted 4/13/21

Outrage is growing over the appearance of racist and hateful bumper stickers on street signs along Water Street and at the Town Common over the past several weeks. Now, an anonymous donor is asking …

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Outrage as racist, Nazi stickers spotted in downtown Warren

Anonymous donor offers $200 reward for information

Posted

Outrage is growing over the appearance of racist and hateful bumper stickers on street signs along Water Street and at the Town Common over the past several weeks. Now, an anonymous donor is asking people to keep their eyes open, and is offering a $200 reward for information leading to the identity of whoever put them up.

The stickers, which promote the KKK, white power and Nazism, were first spotted and publicized by Water Street resident William Schaff.

"I have covered them (and) scraped them off, but they have returned relatively quickly," he wrote in a Facebook post published Tuesday night.
"What I first thought was some chuckle head passing through town now looks like someone who actually lives in our town (or at least is in it on a regular basis)."

While posting the photos, Mr. Schaff asked residents to keep their eyes open, and if they have small 'RING'-type surveillance cameras on their property that pan across areas where they've gone up, to take a look.

"It would be good to know" who's been putting them up, he said.
Mr. Schaff's post immediately sparked responses from residents across town, who expressed shock, anger and incredulity that such messages have been found in Warren.

"I am a Filipino American, and never have I seen such hateful propaganda displayed ever in this small town up until now," one commenter wrote. "Hope whomever posted these gets caught. When you are the minority, the displacement of hate hits a lot harder on you."

Another poster said she went out to Water Street after learning about them and spotted several more, but was not able to remove them all.

"Once these idiots are located, they need a good talking to, among other things. Why would they have such hate in their hearts? Where did they learn this horrible behavior? My first impression like many others is to be angry with these fools and meet them with force but THAT IS NOT the answer... education/exposure is," wrote another.

One resident who asked to remain anonymous reached out to the Warren Times Tuesday night, offering a $200 reward for information leading to the identity of whoever put them up. He said people with information should call either the state or local police. He said such racist literature should not be tolerated, or allowed to go on without a response:

"This political divide is bringing out the worst people," he said.

This is not the first time similar stickers have popped up in Warren. Last October, Church Street resident Joyce Katzberg spotted stickers for PatriotFront, an extremist right wing organization, on light posts and a parking sign on Main Street. She peeled off several of them, taking them to the police and officials at Warren Town Hall.

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