KKK Fliers Denouncing Martin Luther King Jr. Distributed in OC: Police

Ku Klux Klan propaganda denouncing Martin Luther King Jr. by calling him a communist was distributed in an Orange County city Monday, police said.

About 40 small bags containing KKK information were left in two nearby Santa Ana neighborhoods, the Santa Ana Police Department said.

One bag contained a leaflet, a business card, a rock and candy. It was found in the driveway of a home in the 2600 block of N. Linwood Street, police said, early in the morning on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday that celebrates his life.

"Everybody has a right to their own opinions, but on a day like today, let us celebrate in our own way," said Christopher Borja, who called the police when he found the package on his driveway.

High School teacher Michelle Gawronski, who has a young daughter, found the leaflet slanderous.

"It's offensive to adults, but it would be worse if my daughter picked it up and said, 'What does this mean, mommy?'" said Gawronski, who plans to bring the pamphlet to her class to use as a teaching moment.

Neighbor Susan Chamberlain said the people who live on Linwood Street come from all walks of life, so she was shocked to see the fliers.

"It looked like a recruitment kind of thing, saying they are angry, promoting violence if people aren't just like us," she said.

Police are investigating with bags they've collected, but said no specific threat was made or crime committed.

"There is no specific victim or target," said Corporal Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department. "It's just spouting off propaganda about their beliefs or organization."

The same South Carolina-based group tried to recruit in the city of Orange last July. At that time, their hotline's recorded message talked about immigration.

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