The distribution of Ku Klux Klan propaganda and recruitment flyers have risen in Virginia these past couple months as the Black Lives Matter movement has continued to gain traction. It is safe to assume that white supremacy groups feel their privilege is being threatened by the resurgence of civil rights activism and presence of non-white groups. The increase in pro-immigration rallies also seems to have invigorated hate groups like the Loyal White Knights, a white supremacy group based in Pelham, NC.

Crimes against the Black community have also increased. In Henrico County, VA (just north of Richmond, VA). Self-proclaimed Grand Dragon of the KKK Harry Rogers was charged with 4 counts of hate crime activity connected to the June 7, 2020 incident where he hit Black Lives Matter protesters with his truck. Search of Roger’s home revealed KKK robes, a Klan “Bible,” KKK paraphernalia, and a KKK “White Power” flag.

In June 2020 in California, Malcolm Harsch was found hanging from a tree. About two weeks later, Robert Fuller was found hanging from a tree as well. Many community members are demanding justice calling these deaths lynching’s and not suicides. Neo-Nazi groups have been reported in the area where Fuller died. In addition, there have been Justice Department actions against discriminatory housing and policing practices in Palmdale, CA.

Locally in Lake Ridge, VA (just west of the historical Occoquan District) the Prince William County Police Department found stickers on Monday July 12, 2020 that contained KKK recruitment information. The PWC PD revealed on Tuesday July 13, 2020 that the stickers appeared random scattered.

A similar incident occurred on July 11, 2020 in the Gainesville and Bristow areas. Prince William County PD found bags containing bird seed and KKK flyers. The flyers promote Klu Klux Klan rhetoric and recruitment information. They appear to have been thrown from a moving vehicle. It’s suspected that they were distributed between July 7th and July 8th. Lee Carter, member of the VA House of Delegates had this to say:

“It’s quite clear that when fascists and white supremacists organize, they’re doing it with an end goal in mind, and that goal is ethnic cleansing…The most important way to fight back is to get to know the people in your community, get organized and make it perfectly clear that those hateful ideologies will never be welcome here.”

Prince William County Police investigated a similar incident in April 2018 when KKK flyers were found in a residential lawn in Triangle, VA. This flyer contained anti-Semitic and anti-African American language.

Moreover, in New Kent County (east outside Richmond, VA) police are investigating KKK flyers distributed by the Loyal White Knights. These pamphlets were found inside plastic bags and also filled with bird seed.

The flyers stated, “Most whites insist on making heroes and saints of criminal blacks, while demonizing the police – most whites are idiots!!! Kontact the Experts: Loyal White Knights.”

New Kent County’s Sheriff’s Office is asking residence to please report any vehicles or citizens the susceptive of distributing these flyers.

In the Hampton Roads VA region, there have been several reported cases of similar KKK flyers found in neighborhoods. In Norfolk, VA on July 13, 2020, Norfolk PD found offensive fliers from the North Carolina white supremacy group the Loyal White Knights. Flyers were distributed in the East Ocean View neighborhood along the 3400 block of Pleasant Ave. These flyers were also in bags filled with bird seed. Hate group stickers were found in the Norfolk Ghent area too. Stickers had a printed QR code that redirected users to a hate group website located in New York.

On July 14, 2020, Newport News, VA resident Fabiola Curran discovered KKK flyers packaged the same way as the ones found in Norfolk, VA. The hate group flyers advertised KKK rhetoric, a website, phone number, and the words “100% Americanism Pray for White Americans in 2020” printed on them. The fliers did not appear to target Curran or specific families in the neighborhood. These flyers also appear affiliated with the Loyal White Knights white supremacy hate group.

The recent distribution of Klu Klux Klan fliers and propaganda found in VA are evidence that white supremacy is still a threat and their members are still actively spreading hate. These flyers may not be explicitly promoting violence, but they continue to support racial division, uphold immoral racial superiority ideologies, and threaten the efforts for inclusivity and understanding. In a time where coming together is so important, these groups refuse to see beyond skin color.

We must continue to uphold not just diversity, but inclusion. They are NOT the same thing. Diversity is being invited to the party, but inclusion is being asked to dance. It is not enough to simply have a variety of people in our communities. We must create a safe, interactive community where all walks of life and live together. The continued presence of white supremacy groups disrupts inclusion efforts and places our black, brown, and immigrant communities at risk.

The real threat to inclusion is white supremacy.