Police in Boston arrested three men they say posted fliers promoting white supremacy in East Boston including some posters that read, “Keep America American. Report any and all illegal aliens. They are not immigrants, they are criminals.”

The three men were identified by police as 26-year-old Matthew Wolf of Lowell; 20-year-old Christopher Hood of Malden; and 18-year-old Tylar Larson of Rochester, New York. They were all arrested on either assault or weapons charges.

Officers in East Boston arrested the three men Friday around 9:45 p.m. in the area of 1 Winthrop St. in East Boston, police said.

“While on directed patrol in the area of the above-mentioned location due to recent reports of a group causing a disturbance while hanging posters which were upsetting some of the residents, officers observed a group of males wearing face masks,” police said. “Officers approached the group, one of which had been carrying a can of spray paint, in an attempt to speak with them.”

Police said one of the men didn’t cooperate with police and slapped an officer’s hand. All three men will be arraigned in East Boston District Court Tuesday.

Fliers and posters promoting the white supremacist group called the Patriot Front appeared in an East Boston neighborhood Thursday.

One poster used the phrase, “Keep America American. Report any and all illegal aliens. They are not immigrants, they are criminals.”

The posters prompted city officials to release a statement Friday morning.

“Boston is strong because of its diversity and the neighborhood of East Boston has been a beacon for immigrants for centuries. Our communities are interconnected, interdependent and our growth as a city relies on a future of mutual, and cross-cultural, admiration, tolerance and respect,” the joint statement by Mayor Martin J. Walsh, State Senator Joe Boncore, State Representative Adrian Madaro and Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards read.

Boston's strength comes from our diversity -- and hatred has no place in our city. Everyone is welcome in Boston. pic.twitter.com/H8RCxFfWnZ — Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) February 15, 2019

The public officials continued to say, “Boston rejects hatred, racism and promotion of white supremacy in all forms. These ideas are toxic to our society and contribute to physical violence, economic disparity and division along lines of race, class, nationality and origin,” the statement said. “While we must always uphold a free exchange of ideas, hatred that demeans individuals or groups based on who they are, how they look or where they come from is not welcome in Boston. Those seeking to promote bigotry will always fail in the face of unity that is stronger, lasting and more resilient.”