Brighton Police have identified a University of Rochester student as the suspect behind several flyers that promoted a white supremacist organization.
This dates back to an incident last fall, when a number of flyers and stickers were found on public property in Brighton. The flyers and stickers contained a logo with the name, Identity Evropa, the name of a white supremacist organization.
Brighton Police Chief Mark Henderson says they were able to pull fingerprints from adhesive tape on three of the fliers, and identify 23 year old Christopher Hodgman of Bethesda, Maryland as a suspect.
He is a U of R student who currently lives in Rochester. Henderson says that after consulting with state and federal authorities, it was determined that the placing of the flyers does not constitute a criminal act, but they are a violation of the Brighton Town Code.
Hodgman was charged with three counts of violating the town code, and he could face a fine and perhaps some jail time if convicted.
The U of R released this statement:
"We were informed by Brighton town officials of the arrest of a current University of Rochester undergraduate student for violation of town ordinances in connection with the posting of unauthorized flyers. The flyers are associated with Identity Evropa, a white nationalist organization identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group.
The University has made clear its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and respect. We unequivocally condemn acts of hatred or intimidation. University community members are strongly encouraged to report any incidents motivated by discrimination of a person or target group. Full information is found at https://www.rochester.edu/care/reports.html We ask each member of our University community to work to ensure that our institution is one where everyone feels welcomed and valued."
