SUNBURY, Pa. — Fliers promoting white nationalism, similar to ones found at universities around the country in recent months, were found tacked to a Pennsylvania mosque this week.

The fliers — containing messages like “White people had enough? So have we” and “#RefugeesNotWelcome” — were found Wednesday outside the Sunbury Islamic Center in the central Pennsylvania community of fewer than 10,000. 

The fliers, which also were found on telephone poles, trees and cars around the city, were removed immediately by meter officer Todd Harvey and other city officials. The actions prompted a simple message from Sister Safiyyah Levine, the Sunday school principal of the Sunbury Islamic Center, to those who placed the materials on the mosque.

“We’re not afraid of you,” Levine said. “Our town is loved, and we’re not about hatred. All of these little towns – Lewisburg, and Sunbury and Selinsgrove – none of us are afraid of you.”

Fliers with similar wording were reported in Lewisburg in November, as well as at the University of Iowa, University of Buffalo and University of Texas at Dallas, according to previously published reports. Fewer than two dozen were collected by city officials and turned over to the police department.

Each flier had a link to the same website.

The fliers are a violation of the city code in the section related to “posting restrictions,” according to city code/zoning officer Michael Rhoads.

Violators must pay a fine totaling between $100 and $300, according to the city code. Anyone caught posting the fliers will be fined, Rhoads said.

“It’s a disgrace,” he said. “They’re littering our community with nonsense. There’s no excuse for it whatsoever.”

City employees have been instructed to take the fliers down immediately, city clerk Terry Specht said.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in Washington, D.C., or Sunbury, that’s unacceptable,” Mayor Dave Persing said. “People around here mostly don’t act like that. We’ll be looking into it. Let’s hope we don’t have any more in the future.”

Levine is impressed with the swift response from the city.

“I feel proud to be a part of this community,” she said. “Those things could have easily been left there.”

Rabbi Nina Mandel, of nearby Congregation Beth El, called for a stop to hate.

“White power, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim and other hateful message posters are appearing around Sunbury,” she said. “Thanks to the police and mayor’s office for being vigilant in looking for them and taking them down. In the meantime, we stand together in love and support.”

Strawser writes for the Sunbury, Pennsylvania Daily Item.