Plymouth target of hate-group recruitment. How police reacted
PLYMOUTH − A New England-based group called a neo-Nazi organization by the Anti-Defamation League has come calling in Plymouth for new members as its presence seemingly continues to grow on the South Shore.
The Plymouth Police Department posted a few different flyers to its Facebook page going into the weekend from the Nationalist Social Club, copies of which were distributed throughout several Plymouth neighborhoods.
The organization, also known as NSC-131 is recognized as a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League, Southern Poverty Law Center and other anti-extremist organizations. The "131" in its name stands for "ACA," or "Anti-Communist Action," according to the Anti-Defamation League, with "1" corresponding to "A" as the first letter of the alphabet and "C" as the third.
One flyer described the group as "a pro-white street-oriented fraternity dedicated to raising authentic resistance to the enemies of our people in the New England area." It said they were looking for "men of European descent in the New England area that wish to see a better future for your people."
Similar flyers said the group stands "for the security and prosperity of white New Englanders."
"At first glance, this flyer seems to be within the confines of the 1st amendment," Plymouth police posted. "Of course, we do not like this type of literature, or any like it that pits any race, creed or religion against each other."
The mission of the group, according to the flyer, is to provide "networking, training, activism, outreach and above all, action."
The contact info was covered in the photo of the flyer posted to Facebook.
"An investigation is ongoing by this department and our federal partners," Plymouth police said.
NSC-131 making more South Shore appearances
NSC-131 originated in Massachusetts in December 2019, particularly in Worcester, Boston, Quincy, Rutland and Sturbridge, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The Nationalist Social Club's name is a nod to the German Nazi Party's official name of the National Socialist German Workers Party.
The dispersal of flyers is the latest step the group has taken locally after a pair of demonstrations in the past year.
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Twenty-five to 30 members of the white supremacy group protested outside Eastern Nazrene College in Quincy last month for about 20 minutes after Gov. Maura Healey has ordered the opening of "Welcome Centers" throughout the state to assist families with finding health, housing and food assistance.
One such center, which included temporary shelter for up to 58 migrant families, opened at the Quincy college this past August.
The state has been looking for ways to accommodate the at-risk migrant families, many coming from Haiti and South America, to fulfill its role as the country’s only “right-to-shelter" state, which guarantees homeless families emergency housing.
Group held flares, banner outside Quincy shelter
Quincy police said members stood on a public sidewalk while holding flares, a banner and chanting for the migrant families to "go home" and that they "were not welcome" to the area. No damages were reported, nor were any arrests made.
The group did not make itself known by name at a contentious community meeting that followed the opening of the center and shelter last month.
NSC-131 held a similar demonstration outside a Kingston hotel in October 2022 to protest the state's placement of homeless people there. The state also sent a number of people to hotels in Plymouth at the same time.
The group is also targeting LGBTQ+ events such as drag queen story hours, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
It's unclear how many people belong to the organization, either as a whole or in Massachusetts, but their area protests and intimidation activities, such as the one in Quincy, typically draws two or three dozen people identifying themselves as members.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: White supremacist group distributes flyers in Plymouth
