GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Guillermo Peña was driving home Saturday night when he saw something that shocked and angered him: two signs reading “Deport Invaders” and “America First” hanging from the Eddy Street Bridge, with each displaying a website tied to the white-nationalist group called Patriot Front.

“I got so fired up. I did. I was like, 'no, not in my town — not here,'” said Peña.

The signs were located near the heart of Grand Island’s Hispanic business district, an area Peña described as the city’s commercial hub.

“We’re not going to start division here,” he added.

Patriot Front is a white-nationalist organization that is known for staging coordinated banner drops, flyer campaigns and marching demonstrations across the country.

Grand Island police say the banners were reported the next day, and added that police would have taken them down had Peña not already.

Officers told News Channel Nebraska the signs violated city code because they were posted on public property and would have been removed regardless of the message.

“It was in violation of city code to be posted on a public right-of-way. It would have been removed regardless of what it said," said Lieutenant Dale Hilderbrand.

Several local Hispanic community leaders were contacted for comment, but most had not heard about the incident or declined to comment publicly.

Mayor Roger Steele provided a written statement condemning the display, saying “I am deeply disappointed that someone chose to display a message like this on city property. This act does not represent the values of our community or the people of Grand Island. We do not tolerate or condone acts like this in any form. Any signage placed on city property must go through the proper channels for approval, and this clearly did not," said Steele.

"Grand Island is a welcoming and respectful community, and we will continue to stand together in defiance of acts like this,” he added.

Peña says he removed the banners himself and plans to repurpose them.

He’s organizing to repaint the signs with messages of peace and unity and display them at a community protest later this month.

“We’re going to paint them with positive messages because freedom and peace can’t defend themselves,” Peña said.

“I was fired up, I said I would burn them, but no, I will choose love again.”