Police are investigating threatening letters found Tuesday morning on vehicles in several Sacramento neighborhoods. The fliers call on “white resistance groups and lone wolves” to begin torturing and murdering Muslims and Latinos.

Sacramento Police Department spokesman Officer Matthew McPhail told The Sacramento Bee:

“The fliers contained some hateful speech and appeared to be promoting a white supremacist group. [The department is treating the incident] “with the seriousness it obviously deserves.”

The fliers appeared to be signed by Greg Withrow, founder of the Aryan Youth Movement-White Student Union. Withrow is a known white supremacist, who, for a time, claimed to have renounced his racist ways. He even testified at a California legislative hearing to help pass hate crime laws in the state.  After 13 years Withrow announced that his change of heart, and six year marriage to a Mexican-American woman, had all been an elaborate ruse to allow him better access to spy on the Anti-Defamation League.

Withrow also said:

“The marriage got me into places that they otherwise wouldn’t let me go…I had as much feelings for her as you do for undocumented workers; as much feelings for her as one would have a dog, maybe less. More like feelings toward her as a slave.”

Denise Calderon, a local community activist, discovered the fliers on cars around her apartment. Angered, Calderon removed the fliers from as many cars as she could before contacting police.

Calderon said:

“It basically gives a green light to assassinate Muslims and Latinos in our community.”

Sacramento Racist Flier
Screengrab via KXTV video

From the flier:

“If you have not secured a body dump-site, do so now!” [and] “Kidnap, rob, torture for information and execute all Muslims and Latinos. Leave no survivors.”

While police are investigating the matter they admit that the fliers may not have actually violated any laws. In addition to determining if Withrow was actually involved in the distribution of the fliers they must also decide if there is a crime associated with the distribution and whether any other acts have taken place.

Officer McPhai said that:

“The first amendment does protect the right to free speech, even if that speech is deplorable or despicable.”

Calderon’s apartment at J and 26th streets is one of at least five locations where police say they found the fliers on cars.

Bassim Elkarra, executive director for the Council on American Muslim Relations, as reported by Raw Story, stated that:

“Unfortunately, with the increased political rhetoric, the attacking of immigrants, Mexicans and Muslims, we’re seeing an uptick in incidents around the country.”

Featured image screengrab via Sacramento Bee video