Maryville, Tenn. — In a disturbing development, residents of East Tennessee, including Knoxville, have reported finding hundreds of flyers containing anti-immigrant statements. The flyers, which have sparked concern and disbelief, were discovered in various neighborhoods, including the West Hills area of Knoxville, on Tuesday morning.
Harold Roth, a longtime resident of West Hills for 40 years, expressed his shock at the discovery. “I was rather shocked that I found it in West Hills. I’ve lived here for 40 years, and I never imagined anything like that would happen,” he said. Many of his neighbors also expressed their surprise and dismay at the appearance of the flyers in their community, with some stating they couldn’t believe such propaganda would be distributed on the streets.
The flyers, which promote a message against immigrants, have led to calls to local authorities. The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) confirmed that they had received reports of the flyers being found in the West Hills area. In addition to Knoxville, similar reports have surfaced in other East Tennessee cities, including Sweetwater, Athens, Lenoir City, and Chattanooga.
KPD officials have stated that the flyers appear to be connected to the Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group. The flyers found in Knoxville are similar to those discovered in other cities across the region. The police department has notified the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Tennessee Fusion Center as part of an ongoing investigation into the origins of the materials.
“We are aware of the reports, and we are actively working to determine the origins of the flyers,” said a representative from the KPD. “We take these matters very seriously and will continue to work with our federal partners to address this issue.”
As of now, the KPD has confirmed one official report of the flyers being found in the West Hills community, though additional sightings were shared via social media. Neighbors in the area have expressed hope that such incidents do not continue to disrupt their community.
“I’m just sorry it happens and I don’t know what you can do about it, except let people know that it happens and hope it doesn’t continue,” Roth added.
The discovery of these flyers has left many East Tennesseans questioning how to address the spread of hate speech and what steps can be taken to ensure such divisive messages do not further tarnish their communities. As the investigation continues, local residents remain on edge, hoping that the situation is resolved quickly and that their neighborhoods remain safe and inclusive for everyone.
