White Supremacy Stickers Plastered Across North Shore: Police

PEABODY, MA — Peabody is the latest North Shore community saying there will be no tolerance for hate in the city as police are investigating white supremacist stickers "slap tagged" on public property.

"This is similar to incidents which have occurred neighboring communities," Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt said.

Symbols of hate have been found in Beverly and Salem as well in recent weeks.

"Peabody has always been a welcoming and inclusive community," Bettencourt said, "and we reject any ideology based in hate, intolerance and exclusion."

Anyone with information on the Peabody stickers is asked to contact Peabody police at 978-531-1212.

Peabody's investigation comes about three weeks after a vegan bakery in Salem reported "Better Dead Than Red" stickers from a group called "Patriot Front" were put up over its pro-LGBTQ+ stickers in the storefront.

"We have been vandalized with yet another sticker that we did not approve of," Jodi Bee Bakes posted on their Facebook page. "Luckily this one was easy to remove. Yes, the police have been notified.

"Placing this sticker over a pride sticker is hate speech. Jodi Bee Bakes does not condone hate at all. We love everyone."

Salem Acting Police Chief Dennis King told The Jewish Journal there have been six incidents of slap tagging in Salem since the start of 2021.

"We have reported this activity to the appropriate federal law enforcement partners in an effort to identify those responsible for these crimes in Salem," King told the Journal.

Beverly leaders last month issued a citywide joint statement denouncing hate speech after a rash of racist vandalism and graffiti, as well as stickers, a flag and recruiting flyers for white supremacy groups in that city.

"This hate messaging seeks to intimidate, demean and marginalize members of our beloved community," the letter states. "To Beverly's Black, Brown, Indigenous and other community members of color, Jewish community and other faith members and the LGBTQ+ residents: we are here for you, we see you and we appreciate you.

"Your neighbors and city leaders stand with you."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)