On Saturday, November 16th, a White nationalist group staged a march near downtown in Columbus, Ohio, calling the demonstration of hate that is unwelcome in the Columbus community and across the US.
The newly formed White supremacist origination “Hate Club” tracked by Anti-Defamation League, may have been engaging in a turf war stated by an CNN article (Ellis, Dec. 3). About a dozen members paraded around through a Short North neighborhood wearing all black with red face masks.
Some marchers were seen carrying black flags emblazoned with red swastikas, a symbol of hate, antisemitism, and White supremacy tracing back to Germany’s nazi Party and the Holocaust.
While bystander’s were witnessing this, it was stated by CNN, “At least one person marching yelled, “n***er,’’ again and again” (Ellis, Dec. 3). Columbus police states that the neo-Nazis deployed pepper spray, citing video evidence and adding, “to date, probable cause has not been established to make any arrests”(Ellis, Dec. 3).
(Image Released by USAtoday.com taken by citizens)
Police have came out stating, “many concerned residents called police to report demonstrations and anyone is invited to share videos or photos of it with investigators” (Ellis, Dec. 3).
The Hate Club was created just last month Oren Segal, the Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism’s vice president told CNN. Segal also states to CNN that the Columbus march was Hate Club’s first official event and appears to have been part of a turf war with the White nationalist supremacist Blood Tribe.
Many have came out to make statements on how the march made them feel. In the CNN article, Rev. Derrick Holmes, senior pastor at Union Grove Baptist Church said, “I was outraged, and I felt disrespected, I really want a counterweight to what happened yesterday and really of just the mind that hate doesn’t get to have the last word, that injustice doesn’t get the last word, that bigotry doesn’t get to have the last word” (Ellis, Dec. 3).
(Image Released by ABC.news article taken by citizens)
After the incident Columbus police Chief Elaine R. Bryant acknowledged Monday, November 18th, “no one in our community should experiment intimidation or harassment. We will continue to strive to make Columbus a city where all residents feel welcome and safe”.
