Police in Fort Worth say they found the man responsible for posting disturbing propaganda in the downtown area.
The 19-year-old is now being investigated by FWPD’s Homeland Security unit.
Over the past couple of weeks, police have been investigating some incidents of anti-immigrant rhetoric being posted for the public to see.
It has led some residents to voice their concerns.
The immigrant-rights group United Fort Worth took pictures of small stickers and sent them to city council members.
The stickers were placed on a fire hydrant, at a movie theater and on a lamp post in Fort Worth’s downtown area.
They read: Reclaim America; Better Dead Than Red; Not Stolen, Conquered.
A police officer noticed them and searched for surveillance video that the department says led them to the unidentified 19-year-old suspect, according to FWPD’s deputy police chief Robert Alldredge.
The city mailed the suspect a citation for posting a sticker on city property.
That is a Class C Misdemeanor.
"At this point, that is all this amounts to," says Alldredge, as it is protected by free speech.
However, the department’s homeland security unit is investigating the alleged vandal and a group he appears to be associated with online, said Alldredge.
“Any kind of speech at all that would cause concern to our citizens we include as many people as possible so we can reach out and see if there’s any other connections along with that,” he said.
The 19-year-old is not, however, being blamed for the banner found hanging over I-35 reading ‘Deport Them All.’
"There is no surveillance video linking the teen to the banner," said Alldredge.
Some citizens took down the banner themselves.
During the afternoon council briefing city leaders said it was important for residents not to tamper with banners or stickers and to instead call police so they can gather evidence.
Mayor Betsy Price also urged residents to report incidents of possible hate language or propaganda being posted anywhere in the city.
Fort Worth’s Human Relations Commission is planning on addressing the issue at its next meeting on Monday.
“The Fort Worth Human Relations Commission respects each person’s right to free speech but consider any form of hate activity in our community incompatible with our common values and beliefs and hate has no room in Fort Worth,” said commission member Eva Bonilla.
