Fliers apparently recruiting for the Ku Klux Klan have been found on private properties of two Long Island communities, authorities say.
Suffolk County police say more than a dozen leaflets were found Sunday in West Babylon and Shirley.
Similar fliers were found in Hampton Bays in July and August.
The fliers found Sunday appeared to be from the North Carolina-based Loyal White Knights of the KKK, according to Newsday. They referred to last month's shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
Police say the leaflets included "racist messages" and listed a website and phone number.
"It's quite repulsive," said Babylon resident Susan Goulet. "We're shocked by it. We are certainly not interested in that type of propaganda."
Police say the fliers do not constitute a hate crime, though local officials are speaking out against the hate propaganda.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
"It's cowards in the dead of night, it's people driving around and leaving these things on people's driveways to get a reaction," said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer.
But there was no reaction on the part of Babylon resident Mike Pashen, who dismissed the fliers as "silly."
"I picked it up, looked at it and threw it in the garbage over there," he said.
History professor Alan Singer said a small Ku Klux Klan fringe group has been present on Long Island since the 1920s, and the group has long tried to tap into suburban anger about immigrants.
"I think they're looking for membership, looking for people who are discontent," he said.
Greg Cergol contributed to this report. Follow Greg Cergol on Twitter @GREGCERGOL4NY
