Patriot Front white nationalists march through Washington on July 4, 250th US anniversary
Hundreds of masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front marched through Washington, D.C., on Saturday, the 250th anniversary of US independence, chanting 'Reclaim America' and carrying Confederate flags.
The march
Hundreds of masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front marched through Washington, D.C., on Saturday, the 250th anniversary of US independence. The group, wearing khaki pants, blue shirts, white face masks and tan caps with the Patriot Front logo, moved from Union Station toward Capitol Hill before boarding Metro trains and exiting at New Carrollton, Maryland. Videos showed them chanting "Reclaim America" and "Life, liberty, victory!" while carrying US flags, Confederate battle flags and shields. The Metropolitan Police Department said the group left the city before 11 a.m. and that it was tracking the demonstration as a First Amendment activity.
Group background
Patriot Front formed in 2017 after the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, breaking away from the white supremacist group Vanguard America. Its manifesto calls democracy a failure and demands a "hard reset" to return to the traditions of European settlers. The group's website appeals to people "born to this nation of our European race" to assert a "right to cultural independence". Experts at George Washington University's Program on Extremism describe it as a fascist organization dedicated to creating a white ethnostate.
No other white supremacist group operating in the US today is able to match Patriot Front's ability to produce media, ability to mobilize across the country and ability to finance. That's what makes them a particular concern.
- Patriot Front forms after deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.
- Hundreds march in Nashville, causing uproar.
- Members march at Virginia Beach oceanfront during Memorial Day weekend.
- Hundreds march through Washington D.C. on 250th Independence Day, chanting 'Reclaim America'.
Reactions
A police spokeswoman said the department "recognizes the rights of individuals to peacefully express their views and remains committed to maintaining public safety and security for D.C. residents and visitors." Counter-protesters confronted the marchers; one shouted through a bullhorn that the group's presence justified abortion rights. Mary McCord, a former assistant attorney general for national security, identified the group by its logo, which she said includes imagery resembling fascist symbols of 1930s Italy.
This definitely looks like Patriot Front. The logo on their hats, which includes imagery resembling fascist symbols of Italy in the 1930s, was consistent with the group, as was the clothing.
Broader context
The march took place as Washington prepared for evening Independence Day festivities marking the semiquincentennial. Critics have accused the Trump administration of emboldening white nationalist groups by spreading false conspiracies like the great replacement theory. The group has staged similar flash mob-style demonstrations in other cities, including Nashville two summers ago and Virginia Beach during Memorial Day weekend this year. Its leader, Thomas Rousseau, previously claimed involvement in relief efforts after deadly flooding in central Texas.
