The group’s actions prompted a swift response from law enforcement. Police were dispatched at 1:20 p.m. after receiving multiple reports, including claims that a passerby had been pepper-sprayed or maced by a member of the group. Additional calls described the marchers shouting racial slurs and possibly being armed, according to *The Columbus Dispatch*.
Sgt. Joe Albert of the Columbus Police stated that no arrests were made despite the concerning nature of the incident. “Shortly after officers arrived on scene, the group left the area without incident,” he said. Police stopped a van carrying the individuals a short distance away to investigate the alleged assault. Albert noted, “Many of the individuals inside the van were detained; however, it was later determined that an assault did not take place, and all of the individuals were released.”
The Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism characterized the march as part of a growing trend of white supremacist displays across the United States over the past 18 months. Oren Segal, speaking to *The New York Times*, said, “At the end of the day, they want to create fear and anxiety in communities and get a photo op.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine strongly condemned the march, taking to social media to denounce the actions of the group. “We will not tolerate hate in Ohio,” he stated. “Neo-Nazis—their faces hidden behind red masks—roamed streets in Columbus today, carrying Nazi flags and spewing vile and racist speech against people of color and Jews. There were reports that they were also espousing white power sentiments. There is no place in this state for hate, bigotry, antisemitism, or violence, and we must denounce it wherever we see it.”
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein also expressed his outrage, addressing the group directly in a statement shared on social media: “To those involved in the neo-Nazi march in the Short North today, take your flags and the masks you hide behind and go home and never come back. Your hate isn’t welcome in our city.”
The march and the subsequent public backlash highlight ongoing concerns about the resurgence of white supremacist activity in the United States, raising questions about how best to address such displays of hate and protect communities from fear and division.
Based on a report by Newsweek 2024-11-19
Why it is disturbing? Their boss is the next president. So why not show where it's going to the next 4 years.
Fascism is fashion 🤮