Saturday, a group of masked white nationalists marched through Washington D.C.’s National Mall and they were escorted by Metropolitan Police. The group included more than 100 members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front, a group comprised of people who self-identify as neo-Nazi, neo-fascists, and white supremacists.
The marchers were wearing white face masks, blue jackets, and were wearing khaki caps and khaki pants. As they marched, they were shouting into bullhorns the phrases “Reclaim America!” and “Life, Liberty, Victory!”
WUSA9 reporter Mike Valerio captured live footage and tweeted it, along with multiple photos. Valerio says that the group was marching through his neighborhood.
White nationalists shouting “RECLAIM AMERICA” through my neighborhood.
This isn’t Charlottesville.
This is Washington, DC.The group is called Patriot Front, and they’re marching near Union Station@WUSA9 #breaking @CBSEveningNews pic.twitter.com/e43YvbzH3D
— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) February 8, 2020
Photos of the Neo Nazi protest in Washington DC today…
Members of the Patriot Front marched from the National Mall, past the Capitol, ending near Union Station.
Patriot Front is run by Thomas Ryan Rousseau, who founded the group in 2017, as a teenager.@WUSA9 @washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/0CLOqEtIz5
— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) February 9, 2020
Neo Nazi protest in DC apparently over. The group made its way into this Walmart parking lot.
They put away their gear, took off their masks, and drove away.
Neighbors are shouting from the street, calling them cowards. @WUSA9 pic.twitter.com/li37GmnZ2E— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) February 8, 2020
Valerio is a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who serves as a White House correspondent for WUSA9. He shared these videos on his Facebook page with this caption.
“Nazis marched through my neighborhood today. We didn’t know they were coming. No one showed their face, or gave their name. They’re part of the group, “Patriot Front.” Chants of “Reclaim America” echoed near the Capitol. Police sirens. Neighbors intimidated. The first man I noticed had a bullhorn labeled “Truth.” He was my age. He said he’d be back. I’ve always gone to places where we *knew* this would happen. Planned protests. Charlottesville. This was different. This was new for 3rd and Mass Ave, NW. This was not normal for Feb. 8, 2020. Or was[n’t].”
The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies Patriot Front as an offshoot of a similar organization, Vanguard America. Apparently, Patriot Front broke away from the larger organization following the deadline 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Perhaps even more troubling that the video footage shown here is that there didn’t seem to be any counter-protest movements standing up to the group. These racists marched from the Lincoln Memorial to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, finishing at a nearby Walmart parking garage.
The group was under escort by dozens of police, with some even being on a bicycle. So far, there’s no word as to how they even obtained a permit for the march, according to The New York Times.
Here’s my question: what or who do they want to reclaim America from? There was no counter-protest. Either people who care didn’t know or they’ve grown too weary to try to fight. Who are the reclaiming America from? No one is even fighting them anymore.
Featured image via Twitter
