SAN ANTONIO — A university student running late for class Thursday, said she discovered several flyers with ties to white supremacist rhetoric posted around a San Antonio shopping center.
The student requested to remain anonymous for safety concerns.
Signs and stickers posted throughout the Village at Stone Oak read "White Lives Matter," illustrated mentions of racial genocide and provided QR codes to Telegram messenger.
SAPD did not return requests for comment, nor did SITE Centers, which owns and manages the Village at Stone Oak.
Mark Toubin, southwest regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said such displays of white nationalism have been occurring more frequently.
“Just last year, we issued a report that showed that there was a significant increase in white supremacist propaganda, particularly in Texas. There were well over 500 incidents in Texas and in San Antonio there were quite a few,” Toubin said.
He stressed the posters depicting white supremacism is disturbing and should concern everyone.
“Regardless of the area, it’s extraordinarily unfortunate, and we are saddened that anyone would have to experience this kind of hate, which is what it is,” Toubin said.
Toubin identified the posting of such activity as ways for white supremacist groups to recruit more members.
The scannable QR codes linking to Telegram and websites serve as methods of spreading information.
On Friday morning, KENS 5 observed property security accompanying cleanup crews in the removal of the signage from poles at the Village at Stone Oak.
Toubin noted hateful rhetoric of any kind needs to be addressed on all levels, whether it's law enforcement, law makers and the community. He said everyone has a role to play.
“It’s important that it not be swept under the rug,” Toubin said. “What that kind of language does is it creates an environment where people feel comfortable in then acting out—whether it’s putting up posters, whether it is discriminating, whether it is assaults or any other kind of violent acts.”