White supremacist group Patriot Front marches through downtown Boston with fascist flags
A group of about 100 masked white supremacists from the group Patriot Front was filmed marching through downtown Boston on Saturday.
The demonstrators, who wore matching uniforms and face masks, carried shields and flags with fascist insignias.
About 100 members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front marched through the heard of Boston today https://t.co/1ZCXAwVTyA
pic.twitter.com/xT6QtJrUNl— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 2, 2022
“The disgusting, hateful actions and words of white supremacist groups are not welcome in this city. Especially in a moment when so many of our rights are under attack, we will not normalise intimidation by bigots,” Boston mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement.
“This weekend as we remember Boston’s legacy as the cradle of liberty, we celebrate the continued fight to expand those liberties for all and ensure that Boston will be a city for everyone.”
The marches arrived in the area around 12.30pm and began unloading gear from a rental truck, according to police scanners.
“If you truly wish for safety, you will have it. But you can take nothing else with you,” one of the demonstrators told an onlooker, according to the Boston Herald.
The group stayed in the area for about an hour before dispersing and leaving on public transit.
The marchers carried flags including upside-down American flags, Mussolini-era fascist symbols, and a flag with 13 stars to represent the original 13 colonies of the United States.
“Since 2019, Patriot Front has been responsible for the vast majority of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States,” according to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks hate groups. “One of the United States’ most visible white supremacist groups, Patriot Front participates in localised ‘flash demonstrations’ across the nation.”
Last month, 31 alleged members of the group were arrested in Idaho, after officials accused them of attempting to start a riot at an LGBT+ Pride event.
In January, members of the Texas-based hate group also attempted to join an anti-abortion rally in Chicago, carrying a sign that read: “Strong Familes Make Strong Nations”.
The leader of Patriot Front, Thomas Rousseau, led another group called Vanguard America at 2017’s infamous Charlottesville neo-Nazi rally.
