Leesburg, VA – October 20, 2025 — Leesburg residents woke up Saturday morning to a disturbing discovery: flyers referencing the Ku Klux Klan were scattered across downtown streets, placed inside plastic bags weighed down with rocks.
The materials were found on Loudoun Street SW, South King Street, and East Market Street, according to Leesburg Police. Officers responded to the report early Saturday and canvassed the area, collecting several of the flyers as evidence. The department is now investigating who was behind the distribution.
Police are urging downtown business owners and residents to review any surveillance footage from between midnight and 6 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, for anything that could help identify those responsible.
In a statement, the Leesburg Police Department said it “condemns the distribution of any material that promotes hate or intolerance within our community” and reaffirmed their commitment to keeping Leesburg a safe and inclusive town for everyone.
This incident isn’t just a law enforcement matter—it hits at the heart of what kind of community we want to be. Many Leesburg residents and business owners have expressed shock and concern over the hateful nature of the flyers.
For longtime locals, the idea of hate groups trying to stir unrest in a town that’s been working hard to build unity across its growing and diverse population is unsettling. “This is not who we are,” one shop owner on King Street told me. “Leesburg doesn’t stand for this kind of hate.”
Leesburg has changed a lot over the years—from a small, mostly rural town to a more vibrant, varied community. That growth brings challenges, but it also brings an opportunity to draw lines in the sand. And this is one of those moments.
If you know something—anything—that could help identify who distributed these flyers, Leesburg Police want to hear from you. You can call the non-emergency line at 703-771-4500, or reach out directly to the Criminal Investigations Division at 703-771-6417.
