SACRAMENTO – Flyers containing propaganda and hate speech were dropped on the Sacramento State campus by a drone on Friday.
This all happened at a fundraiser that was meant to celebrate the Farm-to-Fork culture in Sacramento.
Many were left stunned when leaflets showing symbols of hate seemingly fell from the sky.
“I would say roughly there was 200 of these dropped,” said Sac State junior, Dominic Vitello while holding a leaflet. “There were two drone drops.”
The leaflets were scattered over an annual event being held on the Guy West bridge.
“I was here with the State Hornet, we were actually covering the Farm-to-Fork festival which is part of an annual fundraiser,” Vitello told KTXL.
The flyers show an image of a swastika along with hate speech against the media.
Vitello says around 30 minutes into the event, people noticed the flyers falling into nearby bushes and the American River.
“Specifically by these people they call themselves the “Red X Society,” there has been nothing on campus deliberately from them,” Vitello explained.
This is not the first time something like this has happened. In 2017, police arrested a Sacramento man, Tracy Mapes, for allegedly flying a drone over two NFL games. Police say he attempted to drop similar flyers into the crowd.
Mapes was later released and cited.
Sac State spokesperson Brian Bloomster says the university is aware of the incident and does not condone hate speech on campus.
“Sacramento State is known for its commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion. The president believes very strongly in those principles, as do members of his administration and the campus community at large,” Blomster said.
He says Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen was also at the event.
Nelsen issued a statement saying:
“Sacramento State condemns in the strongest terms the dissemination of hate speech and propaganda Friday evening at our annual fundraising dinner on the Guy West bridge. The anonymous act of spreading such vile material is offensive and runs counter to the principles of inclusion and diversity practiced at Sac State.”
Blomster says the event went on as planned.
KTXL attempted to reach out to the group on the flyers. So far, there’s been no response. Sacramento State police are investigating the incident.