MANCHESTER, Mo. — Manchester police are investigating a series of antisemitic fliers thrown onto people’s lawns in Manchester and Ballwin on Saturday.
Manchester resident Phillip Helm was going out to check the mail Saturday when he found the flier in a bag at the end of his driveway.
“I thought this is unusual. Then when I started reading, I saw something that looked very antisemitic, plain and simple. So I didn't like it at all,” Helm said.
Helm says his wife then called the police and while they understand freedom of speech they in no way support what’s in the fliers or want to see it in their neighborhood.
“But to throw it in our property and make it almost a hate crime. I don't want to make it a hate crime, but it does seem like it's impeding on us and we don't want it. And that's something we had to find out. We didn't know if something can be done or what, but we did not like it,” Helm said.
Manchester and Ballwin police are investigating several neighborhoods.
“We've actually got the two people on some ring cameras where they're just going down the street, throwing them out on either side. So there's no indication that there was anybody targeted,” Manchester Police Chief Scott Will said.
Chief Will says they have received 81 of these packets and they contain several different versions of antisemitic messages in plastic bags with beans or corn to weigh them down.
“There's really no sense, no purpose to disseminating this kind of stuff other than to get a rise out of people if you will. That’s something that we're just not going to put up with,” Will said.
Chief Will said they are going to do what they can to hold these people accountable.
“We have to balance the First Amendment with hate crimes. Certainly, we have something as minor as littering charges, but we are consulting with the St. Louis County Prosecutor's Office,” Will said.
Chief Will says they were able to get a license plate number off a ring doorbell camera and are continuing to investigate.
He advises anyone who finds something like this to call the local police department.