Patriot Front Propaganda Stickers Removed From Westport Street Signs

WESTPORT, CT — Propaganda stickers supporting the white supremacist group Patriot Front were recently discovered on street and other signs in Westport, and have been promptly removed, according to Westport police and First Selectwoman Jen Tooker.

"I am grateful to the Police for managing the issue with expediency and professionalism," Tooker said in a statement Thursday. "This does not represent Westport and is unacceptable. Nor does it diminish the qualities of our community that focus on volunteerism, neighborly engagement, and civil discourse. We are proud of our residents and business and civic leaders who work tirelessly to make Westport a better place."

The Anti-Defamation League offers the following description of Patriot Front:

• Patriot Front is a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them, and no one else.
• Patriot Front justifies its ideology of hate and intolerance under the guise of preserving the ethnic and cultural origins of its members’ European ancestors.
• Patriot Front spreads its hateful propaganda via the internet and by distributing banners, fliers, posters, and stickers.
• Since 2019, Patriot Front has been responsible for the vast majority of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States.
• One of the United States’ most visible white supremacist groups, Patriot Front participates in localized “flash demonstrations” across the nation.
• While claiming loyalty to America as a nation, Patriot Front seeks to form a new state, one that advocates for the “descendants of its creators,” scilicet white men.

Westport police were notified of the discovery of the stickers, primarily in the Saugatuck area of town, on Wednesday.

"These stickers were small, and in some cases, old and tattered," officials said, adding that the stickers were confirmed recruitment materials from the group.

Westport Police spoke with CT State Police Hate Crimes Unit and confirmed that they have seen material from this group in other parts of the Country, and further stated they have had no violence attached to this propaganda, officials said.

"In collaboration with the CT ADL, TEAM Westport, and local officials, we will continue to make strides to ensure that Westport is a place where everyone is welcome, and everyone feels that they belong," Tooker said. "Safety is always a top priority. I ask the community to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity they come across to the Westport Police department immediately. We can all help do our part as a community in countering these types of incidents by staying alert. Together, we can all make sure that Westport is the best place in the region to live, work, play and learn."

Police Chief Foti Koskinas reminds the public that Westport Police Department are engaging and take pride in making Westport a safe and inviting community.

Anyone with information or evidence of those responsible for placing the stickers in the various locations of Saugatuck are encouraged to call the Westport Police Detective Bureau at 203-341-6080.