On Saturday, about a dozen masked demonstrators marched through downtown Princeton, New Jersey, carrying flags linked to white supremacist groups. They displayed a banner that read "Keep New Jersey White," photos from the scene show. The group had no permit for the march, according to Princeton police, who are now investigating but say no bias crime determination has been made yet.

Princeton Mayor Mark Freda called the demonstration "deplorable" and said it "does not reflect the feelings or culture of Princeton." Most residents likely agree, but a statement alone will not stop this from happening again. The town council and police department need to follow through with real action: finish the investigation, share what they find with the public, and lay out a clear plan for keeping hate groups from returning.

The group organizing the march described it as youth-led, which makes this more than a one-time incident to shrug off. Princeton is not the first New Jersey town to see a march like this, and it will not be the last unless local leaders back up their words with consistent enforcement and real investment in programs that keep young people away from extremist groups in the first place.

Sign the petition to demand a transparent investigation and real follow-through from Princeton's leaders — before hate finds a permanent foothold in New Jersey.