Fallon residents report hate flyers left in yards

Fallon - Police were called to residences all over town Saturday morning by residents who found someone had tossed racist literature in their yards.

The black-and-white, letter-size flyers tout that "America is for Americans Only" and urges closing borders to immigrants from Mexico.

"Time to round up the Mexicans and send them back to Mexico," the flyer states.

It also lists a Web site for more information. The site, complete with swastikas and photos of Adolf Hitler, apparently belongs to the American Nazi Party: National Socialist Movement, which lists its headquarters in Minneapolis.

Assistant Fallon Police Chief Ray Dolan said the police department received about 16 calls Saturday and Sunday about the material. Many of the flyers distributed in neighborhoods surrounding Laura Mills Park remained in front yards on Sunday.

Chief Russ Brooks said whoever distributed the flyers did not break any laws.

"It's freedom of speech," he said.

Some of the residents who called the police department wanted to make officers aware that apparent hate flyers were distributed in Fallon, he said.

"A number of people just wanted to bring it to our attention. Some were bothered somewhat that someone was passing out such garbage," Brooks said.

The chief said he hasn't heard of any white supremacist groups in the city and no hate crimes have been reported.

"This is the first indication we've had that there is an effort by anyone. It could be kids just passing them out as a prank," he said. "We would be concerned if there's a hate group forming in our city."

Houses where Hispanic residents live were not the only ones targeted, he added.

The flyers were packaged in a plastic baggie that was weighted down with pebbles and secured with rubber bands.

The National Socialist Movement states on its Web site that it is an "organization dedicated to the preservation of our Proud Aryan Heritage." It also denounces the Jewish race and any person of color. Its symbol is the swastika.

One article on the site claims the National Socialist Movement recently joined forces with the White People's Party in Reno.