March 16, 2006 -- Swastika-emblazoned postcards littered the streets around Peekskill HS on Tuesday, one day after news broke of a furor over a performance there by 7-year-old poet Autum Ashante.

Police said, however, that they don't believe the Nazi-inspired messages and the firestorm around Autum are related. The postcards were also found elsewhere in the town and have been strewn in recent weeks in other parts of Westchester.

"There's nothing at this point to conclude that there's any sort of connection between the two matters," said Police Chief Eugene Tumolo.

"I know that the poem had become very controversial . . . but these are just separate acts at this point."

The postcards were dropped as Peekskill reels from the fallout from Autum's poem, which she recited at Peekskill HS, prompting the school to make 3,000 recorded phone apologies.

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