Vass, NC – A flag with the message “Kill All Cops” has appeared in a small North Carolina town with less than 1,000 residents.

Neighbors who live nearby told WRAL-TV that the sign has been up for at least a month, and many are not happy about it because they don’t want anyone to perceive the message as coming from their community.

The hateful anti-police message was painted in red, white, and blue on top of a yellow-line flag.

A flag with a yellow line generally represents dispatchers, but it has also been used by security guards, loss prevention agents, and tow truck drivers.

The hand-painted sign was set back on a property located on a rural road, with posted signs that said “private property, no trespassing.”

WRAL tried to find out who owned the property on which the threatening sign was posted, but were not successful. Nobody answered the door at the home adjacent to the sign.

Sandy Paula lives in that area but had not seen the sign. She was outraged when she learned about it, according to WRAL.

“Right away, it infuriates me because, first of all, it looks like, in a way, it’s speaking for everybody in the neighborhood and I don’t feel that way,” Paula said.

Chris Smith, another neighbor who has an American flag in his yard, told WRAL he wasn’t happy about the sign but recognized the person’s right to post it.

“It’s freedom of speech. I don’t agree with it. I, as they say, back the blue,” Smith said.

Other neighbors didn’t think it was appropriate.

“I just don’t really know who would do that,” neighbor Ingrid Bullen told WRAL. “I don’t know who would do that over there. It just makes me wonder.”

Authorities in Moore County told WRAL they were aware of the sign posted in the little town located about 100 miles east of Charlotte.