Warren police are increasing patrols in the Water Street area and reaching out to the Rhode Island Attorney General for guidance, following the recent discovery of dozens of racially offensive and hateful stickers on street signs and telephone poles in the area.

Department spokesman Lt. Christopher Perreault said patrol officers have been instructed to increase their patrols in the area. Meanwhile, he said the case is being forwarded to the Attorney General's office for a review regarding what charges would be appropriate were the perpetrator identified.

The police scrutiny comes as Warren prepares for an anti-hate rally Sunday afternoon in front of Warren Town Hall. Organized by Mel Bynum, the administrator of the East Bay Diversity Facebook page, she said co-organiers also include Warren resident Dyshell Palmer, Bristol resident Julie Souza and Taylor Faria, who lives on Water Street.

Ms. Faria learned about the stickers Monday evening and spent several hours that night attempting to remove them from poles on north Water Street to the Warren Town Common. Since then, she has had anti-hate stickers printed and plans to have many more made for Sunday's rally.

The hateful stickers, which reference the Ku Klux Klan, Nazism and white power, have been appearing for at least several weeks. Water Street artist William Schaff, who first brought widespread attention to them in an online post Monday evening, said he has removed many of them in recent weeks, only to see them re-appear soon after.

Sunday's rally is scheduled to run from 2 to 4 p.m.