NH AG to address hate crimes at Portsmouth briefing Tuesday

Mark Hayward, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·1 min read

Jan. 17—PORTSMOUTH — State and local law enforcement will hold a press briefing Tuesday afternoon about their investigation into hate group activity in Portsmouth, Attorney General John Formella announced.

The briefing is scheduled for 3 p.m. in city council chambers. Portsmouth Police Chief Mark Newport will also participate, according to a statement from Formella's office.

The announcement makes no reference of specific incidents to be addressed, but Portsmouth has experienced at least two hate-related incidents last year.

According to Seacoast online, residents found fliers from a neo-Nazi group on their lawns over the summer.

In mid-December, a neo-Nazi organization protested a family-oriented "Honey Punch & Pals" drag-queen story hour at the Seacoast Reparatory Theatre, according to the theatre, which said the neo-Nazis passed out fliers that spread misinformation about homosexuals, AIDS, sexual deviancy and Jews.