Racism strikes Airway Heights

AIRWAY HEIGHTS – The Airway Heights Police Department has been fielding calls and trying to identify prime suspects in response to racist propaganda being posted in the Walmart parking lot and on cars around town.

Some residents posted pictures and videos to social media over the weekend showing flyers that had been or were being taped to their cars from the group “14 First,” which names itself as a “Pro-white organization,” discourages “race mixing” and promotes other racist, Neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs. The flyers themselves featured racist and white supremacist messages with pro-white and Nazi symbols.

Airway Heights Police Chief Brad Richmond said the department is working with the FBI and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office regional intelligence group. He said they’re investigating whether any municipal code laws were violated. They’re also researching various video footage to try and identify a lead suspect.

One piece of footage being reviewed was posted to Facebook by Saira Sanchez Guizar, who said she was walking out of Walmart when she noticed that a man had dropped several papers. When she went to help pick them up, Guizar noticed that they were flyers with racist and pro-white messaging.

Guizar said she asked the man what the signs meant, and the man reportedly only laughed and said “white power.”

She said the man was recording himself putting flyers on the cars. After her interaction with him, she got in her car and took a five-second video of him taping flyers to other cars.

“I was a bit scared,” Guizar said. “Now looking back, I wish I had not handed the papers back to him and truthfully ripped them … I’ve personally never had to deal with that, and I do come from a family that’s mixed.”

In a letter posted to the Police Department’s Facebook page, Richmond asked the Airway Heights community to notify the police if they observe any of 14 First’s flyers being posted in town.

Richmond asked that the actions of a select few not distract from an overall accepting and diverse Airway Heights community.

“We must not let the voice of a divisive few be heard as we must embrace our unified message of a community that’s known for our strong values and individual character,” Richmond said in the letter.

Richmond’s letter also noted that the Airway Heights Police Department has been in contact with the Kalispell Tribe to “ensure there is a combined message … we want our citizens to know their safety is our priority.”

Drew Lawson can be reached at [email protected].