Three people have been arrested after pamphlets with hate symbols were found at a synagogue, Black church, and other places of worship in New York, NBC News reports.
Aubrey Dragonetti, Dylan Henry, and Ryan Mulhollen have each been charged with 115 counts of aggravated harassment in connection with the distribution of stickers and pamphlets bearing swastikas and racial slurs in Hornell, New York.
Police began investigating the harassment on July 9 and 10 when hate-bearing booklets were found throughout the small, southern New York city.
One pamphlet with the phrase “Aryan National Army” was found at Rehoboth Deliverance Ministries, a predominately Black church, and Temple Beth-El Synagogue.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, Aryan Nation “is one of the country’s best-known enclaves of anti-Semitism and white nationalism.”
A warrant conducted in the 130 block of River Street led to the three arrests.
“During the search, evidence was located which depicted the crimes of Aggravated Harassment 1st, a Class E Felony,” the police department said in a statement.
Per New York law, the charge signals “intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person,” due to “such person’s race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, religion.”
The description of the harassment charges also includes imagery of swastikas and nooses as symbols of intimidation.
Dragonetti and Mulhollen have been released from the Steuben County Jail, while Henry remains in custody, according to jail records.
Hornell Mayor John J. Buckley said in a statement, “The City of Hornell is a very close-knit, welcoming, and accepting community and there is absolutely no room for this type of hate or any other here.”
Buckley added, “These are three misguided individuals who have hate in their hearts. This is something that is not reflective of Hornell.”
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