By Andrea Gregory

Supporters of a neo-Nazi organization recently made their way through the Winter Hill School neighborhood, leaving hate literature and offensive material on the porches of several residences.

According to Somerville police, flyers for a national white supremacist organization were folded and placed in plastic bags with rocks. The packages were then left on residential properties.

“It’s not a hate crime, but it’s a hate incident,” said Capt. Michael Devereaux.

Devereaux said the distribution of racist literature is not a hate crime, but police have clocked in the recent episode as a hate incident. He said the police department is now tracking these situations.

“Unfortunately, this is the type of thing that is protected by the First Amendment as repulsive as it is,” said Devereaux.

Although it does not happen often, he said Somerville is a likely target to occasionally see this type of behavior.

“We represent what they don’t like,” he said, adding that Somerville’s diverse population
living together sends a strong message to the racist community.

Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero asked his fellow board members to sign a resolution as a sign that leaving hate literature around the city is not a welcomed behavior in Somerville. He said the resolution is somewhat symbolic but sends a message to the public that officials are united on this issue. Pero and other officials encourage residents who receive white supremacist material and other forms of hate literature or notice displays of it or distribution in the city to contact their alderman, police or the city’s Human Rights Commission.

“We should stand up and fight these things,” said Pero.

Devereaux said there had been scattered incidents in Ward 4 recently. Police were made aware of the literature left around the area on July 24, he said. Pero said his house was not among those to receive the literature, but he did see the packages in his neighborhood.

Devereaux confirmed that police are asking to be informed of hate incidents as well as hate crimes in the city.

“The first line of defense is the public,” said Devereaux.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is a worldwide nonprofit group that strives to combat hatred and bigotry through education. The group also tracks and monitors extremist groups.

According to the ADL, the flyers distributed in Somerville were in support of a white supremacist group known as National Alliance (NA). ADL believes the group to be declining but is aware of its past and its mission.

“Over the last several years, dozens of violent crimes around the country, including murders, bombings and robberies, have been traced to NA members or appear to have been inspired by the group’s propaganda. However, as far as we know, no hate crimes in New England have been traced to NA members or associates,” wrote the ADL in its community briefing about the Somerville incident. “ADL is not aware of any evidence that whoever passed out the literature was intending to target any particular residents or group in town, or that they have any particular connection to Somerville. We are aware of a small number of individuals who are affiliated with NA in Massachusetts, and who regularly distribute flyers like those passed out in Somerville.”

Al Gordon, spokesman for the ADL, said although the literature left for Somerville residents was not a criminal act, “spreading hate is dangerous.”

He said the trends of hate crimes and incidents ebb and flow. However, today, people are less excepting of bigotry and racism.

“I think we have made huge gains over the years in increasing understanding,” said Gordon. “Bigotry is not something people stand for anymore.”

Gordon said the ADL encourages people to report hate incidents. He said the best thing to do is not engage with extremists and avoid being confrontational. He advises people to contact authorities and let the proper channels work from there.

Residents who would like to report hate incident or have concerns about literature left by extremist groups can contact the ADL at (617) 406-6300 or the Somerville Police Department at
(617) 625-1600.