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On June 28, at around 1:30 am, a "Say Their Names" mural depicting [[Killing of Breonna Taylor|Breonna Taylor]], [[Shooting of David McAtee|David McAtee]], and [[George Floyd]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]] was vandalized.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Team|first=WLKY Digital|date=2021-06-29|title=Video shows vandal spraying paint on mural of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Louisville|url=https://www.wlky.com/article/mural-depicting-breonna-taylor-george-floyd-more-vandalized-in-louisville/36864949|access-date=2021-06-29|website=WLKY|language=en}}</ref> The mural was scrawled over with light blue paint and the words "Patriot Front" were spray painted onto the mural in numerous places. "I've seen other murals around town being defaced. I know it was a matter of time before it was going to happen." Said Braylyn Resko Stewart, one of the three artists of the mural. As of June 28th, Stewart is currently using GoFundMe to raise money to help restore the mural.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tobin|first=Ben|title='Say Their Names' mural depicting Breonna Taylor, George Floyd vandalized in Louisville|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/06/28/mural-depicting-breonna-taylor-george-floyd-vandalized-louisville/7783430002/|access-date=2021-06-29|website=The Courier-Journal|language=en-US}}</ref>
On June 28, at around 1:30 am, a "Say Their Names" mural depicting [[Killing of Breonna Taylor|Breonna Taylor]], [[Shooting of David McAtee|David McAtee]], and [[George Floyd]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]] was vandalized.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Team|first=WLKY Digital|date=2021-06-29|title=Video shows vandal spraying paint on mural of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Louisville|url=https://www.wlky.com/article/mural-depicting-breonna-taylor-george-floyd-more-vandalized-in-louisville/36864949|access-date=2021-06-29|website=WLKY|language=en}}</ref> The mural was scrawled over with light blue paint and the words "Patriot Front" were spray painted onto the mural in numerous places. "I've seen other murals around town being defaced. I know it was a matter of time before it was going to happen." Said Braylyn Resko Stewart, one of the three artists of the mural. As of June 28th, Stewart is currently using GoFundMe to raise money to help restore the mural.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tobin|first=Ben|title='Say Their Names' mural depicting Breonna Taylor, George Floyd vandalized in Louisville|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2021/06/28/mural-depicting-breonna-taylor-george-floyd-vandalized-louisville/7783430002/|access-date=2021-06-29|website=The Courier-Journal|language=en-US}}</ref>

On July 3, approximately 150-200 members arrived in [[Penske Corporation]] trucks and began a march in Philadelphia during the night. Wearing their standard khaki pants and blue shirts while carrying Patriot Front symbolism, they reportedly shouted "Reclaim America!" and "The election was stolen!", a reference to false claims that [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|the 2020 presidential election was stolen from]] [[Donald Trump]]. They were met with heavy opposition from local residents, with both sides engaging in multiple clashes that resulted in members of the Patriot Front retreating, utilzing smoke bombs and flares to mask their withdrawal.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://6abc.com/patriot-front-philadelphia-protest-white-supremacist/10858983/|title= WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUP MARCHES THROUGH PHILADELPHIA BEFORE FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS|last= Hendrickson |first= Beccah| publisher= [[WLNE-TV]]| date= July 5, 2021|archive-date= July 5, 2021}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 19:13, 5 July 2021

For the Argentinian party, see Patriot Front (Argentina).
Patriot Front
FormationAugust 2017; 7 years ago (August 2017)
FounderThomas Rousseau[1]
Type
Purpose
  • Replacement of current American government with a fascist regime
  • Creation of a white ethnostate
Location
Affiliations
Websitepatriotfront.us[2]
Part of a series on
Neo-fascism
Fasces
Core ideas
Varieties
Origins
Movements, organizations, and parties
People
History
Related topics
Opposition
icon Politics portal

The Patriot Front is an American white supremacist, neo-fascist, and American nationalist group[4][5][6] which utilizes imagery of patriotism, liberty, and other widely accepted American values to promote its ideology.[7] Part of the broader alt-right movement, the group split off from Vanguard America in August 2017 in the aftermath of the Unite the Right rally.[1][8][9][10]

History & beliefs

The Patriot Front is led by Thomas Ryan Rousseau. Rousseau was a teenager in Fort Worth, Texas, at the time he founded the group, and he had previously taken control of Vanguard's web server and Discord channel several weeks prior to the Unite the Right rally, which Rousseau had participated in as the leader of Vanguard America's contingent. Following bad press which was associated with the rally, Rousseau left Vanguard and used the group's domain name to form the Patriot Front as an ostensibly new group and rally participants, although most of the Patriot Front's members were former Vanguard members.[1] Rousseau has repeatedly been arrested for posting flyers and stickers which promote the group.[11][12]

As with Vanguard America, the Patriot Front supports a version of morality which is compatible with the version of morality which is supported by other ethno-extremist authoritarian movements, a strong border, and its own version of personal responsibility, albeit with a dictatorship at the helm.[1] The group uses a combination of patriotic and historic imagery, such as a fasces which is surrounded by thirteen stars, and attention-grabbing techniques such as setting off smoke bombs during demonstrations and protests and chanting slogans, such as "blood and soil",[1] and "Strong Borders, Strong Nations".[13]

The group's members comprise eight regional networks, and its recruitment is primarily done online. While the group focuses on distributing propaganda and condemning violence, experts on white supremacy point out that the core beliefs of the group undoubtedly promote violence. [14]

Activities

Patriot Front's activities, such as distributing propaganda[15][16][17] organizing demonstrations,[3] or "doing miscellaneous acts of public service",[18] have been seen in at least 25 states.[3][1][7][15][19] Members have also been known to hand out flyers at Trump rallies[20] and leave them in Barnes & Noble bookstore books.[21]

In 2017, the organization planned to attend an alt-right "March Against Communism" in Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 28 alongside members of Anti-Communist Action (the main organizers of the event), Richard B. Spencer, Billy Roper of The Shield Wall Network and Augustus Sol Invictus but the march was cancelled due to "security concerns".[22]

2018

On July 10, 2018, a local anti-racist coalition in Tacoma, Washington, "Tacoma Against Nazis", erected a billboard reading "There are NAZIS in our neighborhood". On July 19, Patriot Front members "climbed up the structure at Pacific Avenue and South 72nd Street and pasted over 'Nazis' with 'Illegal Aliens.'"[23]

On Saturday, July 28, 2018, Patriot Front members attacked and partially tore down an Occupy ICE SATX encampment outside an immigrant detention facility in San Antonio.[24]

2019

On January 21, 2019, Patriot Front flyers were found on home driveways in Edmonds, Washington, sparking a small demonstration of around 50 citizens and a statement by the mayor which condemned the flyers and their message of intolerance and exclusion.[25]

On February 13, 2019, Patriot Front flyers were spotted in Boston, Massachusetts, in the Eastern section of the city. The flyers said "Keep America American", "Better Dead Than Red", and "Will Your Speech Be Hate Speech?" The flyers were denounced by Marty Walsh, the mayor of Boston. Two days later on February 15, three Patriot Front members were arrested for putting up the flyers and one of the men slapped a police officer's hand when the officer was reaching for his identification via wallet. One was found to have a spring-loaded 5-inch knife and another was found to have a wood-handled trowel and brass knuckles. A lawyer for one of the men stated that this was an incident of "youthful stupidity" and he also stated that the three men met while playing Xbox and other video games. The three men later appeared in court.[26][27][28][29][30]

In March 2019, a man was charged in connection with posting Patriot Front posters in Vienna, Virginia.[31]

In July 2019, Downtown Indiana, Pennsylvania, was littered with stickers from the group. Police are investigating the matter and considering charges for a hate crime.[32]

In November 2019, areas in Massachusetts had stickers posted on telephone poles, including Middleboro, Bridgewater and West Bridgewater.[33]

2020

On Saturday, February 8, 2020, at around 4:00 pm, approximately 100 members of the Patriot Front held a march in Washington DC along the National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol grounds, and then headed north ending at a Walmart located near Washington Union Station at 1st and H Streets NW. Those marching all wore similar clothing - khakis, matching dark blue jackets with flag patches on the left sleeve, with hats, full white face masks, and dark sunglasses - and all carried various modified versions of the American flag with the Patriot Front logo of a fasces in a circle of 13 stars replacing the normal 50 stars and differing numbers of red and white stripes, The marchers shouted "Reclaim America!" and "Life, liberty, victory!" and were trailed and surrounded by a phalanx of MPD police officers on bicycle and foot, ostensibly to prevent interaction with local citizens, some of whom shouted at and taunted the marchers calling them "Neo-Nazis" and "Do not let these people into DC!" as they passed by.[34][35]

In August 2020, three men were arrested after placing stickers on signs on the Parker County Courthouse lawn in Weatherford, Texas, according to arrest warrants. One of those arrested was Rousseau, the leader of Patriot Front. They were charged with criminal mischief, jailed on a $500 bond and released. Previously at the courthouse, protesters had demanded the removal of a Confederate statue, while counter-protesters defended the statue.[36]

2021

On January 29, 2021, a group of men wearing similar clothing--khaki pants, matching blue jackets with patches, and white face masks--was seen marching from the National Mall toward the Capitol carrying flags with Patriot Front symbolism on them.[37]

As of March 1, 2021, Patriot Front stickers continue to appear on places on the University of Mary Washington Campus.[38]

On June 4, 2021, a mural of George Floyd was vandalized in Olney, Philadelphia with Patriot Front logos and insignia.[39] This evoked widespread outrage throughout Olney. “Aside from making us angry and pissed off, to be quite frank it has done nothing but further strengthen our resolve,” City Councilmember Cherelle Parker said in regards to the vandalism.[40]

On June 24, less than a week after their unveiling, two statues of George Floyd, one in Brooklyn, New York and one in Newark, New Jersey, were found scrawled with black spray paint and graffitied with references to group.[41][42] [43][44]

On June 28, at around 1:30 am, a "Say Their Names" mural depicting Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, and George Floyd in Louisville, Kentucky was vandalized.[45] The mural was scrawled over with light blue paint and the words "Patriot Front" were spray painted onto the mural in numerous places. "I've seen other murals around town being defaced. I know it was a matter of time before it was going to happen." Said Braylyn Resko Stewart, one of the three artists of the mural. As of June 28th, Stewart is currently using GoFundMe to raise money to help restore the mural.[46]

On July 3, approximately 150-200 members arrived in Penske Corporation trucks and began a march in Philadelphia during the night. Wearing their standard khaki pants and blue shirts while carrying Patriot Front symbolism, they reportedly shouted "Reclaim America!" and "The election was stolen!", a reference to false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. They were met with heavy opposition from local residents, with both sides engaging in multiple clashes that resulted in members of the Patriot Front retreating, utilzing smoke bombs and flares to mask their withdrawal.[47]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Patriot Front". Anti-Defamation League. Archived from the original on 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
  2. ^ Henry, Chris (November 4, 2018). "Nazi symbol seen on Olympic College campus protected as free speech". Kitsap Sun. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018. Patriot Front's current website is patriotfront.us.
  3. ^ a b c Murray, Elizabeth (2018-02-12). "'White supremacist' group not welcome in Burlington, mayor says". Burlington Free Press. USA Today. Archived from the original on 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2018-12-14.
  4. ^ "Vanguard America (Patriot Front, American Vanguard) - Extremist Watch". extremistwatch.org. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
  5. ^ "Patriot Front". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  6. ^ "Patriot Front". Anti-Defamation League. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  7. ^ a b Mistich, Dave (2018-04-19). "Seeing Through the Rhetoric of the Alt-Right: Spotting White Supremacist Propaganda in W.Va". WV Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2018-04-19. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  8. ^ "Meet 'Patriot Front': Neo-Nazi network aims to blur lines with militiamen, the alt-right". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
  9. ^ Roman, Gabriel San (2017-12-13). "New Fascist Group Appeared at Laguna Beach Anti-Immigrant Rally". OC Weekly. Archived from the original on 2017-12-24. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
  10. ^ "White Nationalist Group Targets Bellevue, Gig Harbor". Bellevue, WA Patch. 2017-11-20. Archived from the original on 2017-12-24. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
  11. ^ Johnson, Kaley; Ranker, Luke (October 31, 2018). "Alt-right leader cited for hate speech posters in Fort Worth, police say". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  12. ^ Johnson, Kaley (August 4, 2020). "Leader of white nationalist hate group, 2 others arrested in Weatherford". Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  13. ^ Sauers, Camille (2018-07-30). just as BLM did. "Texas Neo-Nazi Group Attacks San Antonio's Occupy ICE Encampment". San Antonio Current. Archived from the original on 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2018-12-21. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  14. ^ Schaeffer, Carol. "They Are Racist; Some of Them Have Guns. Inside the White Supremacist Group Hiding in Plain Sight". ProPublica. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  15. ^ a b Wiater, Natalia (2018-12-11). "Xenophobic posters discovered near East Quad". The Justice. Waltham, MA. Archived from the original on 2018-12-13.
  16. ^ Green, Chris (2018-04-02). "Questionable immigration flyers spread in Boone County". The Gazette.
  17. ^ Johnson, Kaley (2018-10-05). "Anti-immigration banner hung from Fort Worth bridge, hate group posts fliers in city". Star Telegram. Archived from the original on 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  18. ^ "Patriot Front". Southern Poverty Law Center. 2018-12-21. Archived from the original on 2018-12-22.
  19. ^
  20. ^ Cooper, Emily; Schenke, Rana (2018-10-27). "Attendees hand out Patriot Front flyers at Trump Rally". Daily Egyptian. Southern Illinois University. Archived from the original on 2018-10-28.
  21. ^ Bawab, Nashwa (2018-11-21). "Another White Supremacist Flyer Found in North Texas". Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on 2018-11-21.
  22. ^ "Neo-Nazis and white nationalists are recruiting Trump supporters who are mad at Colin Kaepernick". Newsweek. 2017-10-12. Archived from the original on 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
  23. ^ Sailor, Craig (2018-07-22). "Anti-Nazi billboard gets reworked by vandal to read with anti-immigrant message". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-07-22.
  24. ^ Contreras, Brian (30 July 2018). "Group with fascist ties takes credit for attack on anti-ICE protest camp". mysanantonio.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  25. ^ MyEdmondsNews (2019-01-08). "Edmonds neighbors take stand against Patriot Front flyers". My Edmonds News. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  26. ^ "Boston couple takes action after anti-immigrant signs are plastered all over neighborhood". WHDH. February 15, 2019. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  27. ^ Haynes, Crystal] (February 15, 2019). "Residents remove anti-immigrant posters put up in Boston". Boston 25 News.
  28. ^ "Arrests made in connection with racist flyers placed in neighborhood". WCVB/ABC News. February 16, 2019. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  29. ^ Horman, Nate (February 19, 2019). "Three suspects arraigned on charges of weapons possession and assaulting an officer: BPD".
  30. ^ Tempera, Jacqueline (February 19, 2019). "Attorney for one of the men accused of posting propaganda for white nationalist group Patriot Front around East Boston says it was just 'youthful stupidity'".
  31. ^ "Herndon man charged in connection with posting white supremacist posters in Vienna". WUSA TV, channel 9. Washington, D.C. March 25, 2019. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  32. ^ Widdowson, Josh. "Indiana Borough Police Investigating Posting of Hate Stickers in Downtown Business District". WCCS. Homer City, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  33. ^ Corpuz, Mina (2019-11-13). "Stickers linked to white nationalist group found in Middleboro". The Enterprise. Archived from the original on 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2019-11-28 – via southcoasttoday.com.
  34. ^ "Masked white nationalists march in Washington with police escort". Reuters. February 8, 2020. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  35. ^ "White Nationalist march in DC near Union Station on Saturday". WUSA TV, channel 9. Washington, D.C. February 8, 2020. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  36. ^ "Leader of White Nationalisf Hate Group, 2 Others Arrested in Texas". Forth Worth Star-Telegram. 3 August 2020.
  37. ^ Williams, Elliot C. "White Supremacist Group Patriot Front Seen Marching Through D.C. Friday Morning". dcist. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  38. ^ Kirby, Jess; Johnson, Josephine (October 12, 2020). "UMW students discover white supremacist stickers Oct. 9". The Blue and Gray Press. Retrieved March 1, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ^ Solis, George (June 4, 2021). "Mural of George Floyd in Philadelphia defaced with hate group logos". WPVI-TV.
  40. ^ "George Floyd Mural In Philadelphia Vandalized With White Nationalist Graffiti". 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  41. ^ Kenney, Tanasia (24 June 2021). "Vandals deface George Floyd statue with black paint and graffiti, NYPD says". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  42. ^ Watkins, Ali (24 June 2021). "George Floyd Statue in Brooklyn Is Defaced With Hate Group's Symbol". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  43. ^ https://www.nj.com/essex/2021/06/larger-than-life-george-floyd-statue-unveiled-in-njs-largest-city-photos.html
  44. ^ Sheldon, Chris (24 June 2021). "George Floyd statue in Newark vandalized with graffiti, police say". nj.com.
  45. ^ Team, WLKY Digital (2021-06-29). "Video shows vandal spraying paint on mural of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Louisville". WLKY. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  46. ^ Tobin, Ben. "'Say Their Names' mural depicting Breonna Taylor, George Floyd vandalized in Louisville". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  47. ^ Hendrickson, Beccah (July 5, 2021). "WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUP MARCHES THROUGH PHILADELPHIA BEFORE FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS". WLNE-TV. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
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