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Who is Patriot Front? The white nationalist group's logo, beliefs, and July 4 march through Capitol Hill
A white nationalist group called Patriot Front marched through Washington DC on the Fourth of July, here's who they are.
A white supremacist, neo-Nazi group based out of North Texas caused a stir on social media in Washington DC on the Fourth of July.
According to WUSA, the group marched even though several Fourth of July parades in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area had been canceled, including the parade planned to celebrate America's 250th birthday in Washington DC.
Who is Patriot Front?
Patriot Front was founded by Thomas Rousseau, of Grapevine, Texas. The group was founded in 2017 by Rousseau following the deadly “Unite the Right” rally on August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Patriot Front is a far-right group that splintered from Vanguard America in the wake of the “Unite the Right” demonstrations in Charlottesville, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, as cited by WFAA. In 2022, 31 Patriot Front members were arrested in Idaho, including seven from North Texas and charged with conspiracy to riot, as they loaded into a U-Haul truck wearing body armor near a Pride event.
“Patriot Front focuses on theatrical rhetoric and activism that can be easily distributed as propaganda for its chapters across the country,” the Southern Poverty Law Center said.
This is their logo:
What is group's ideology
According to The George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, the group promotes an ultra-nationalist ideology centered on the idea of creating a white ethnostate in the United States, rejecting multiculturalism and diversity. Patriot Front is known for its propaganda campaigns, including distributing flyers, staging marches and defacing public art, all aimed at spreading its white nationalist message. Their ultimate goal is to reshape American society to align with their vision of racial and cultural homogeneity.
Patriot Front as a white nationalist and fascist organization that advocates for the preservation of white European culture, viewing multiculturalism, immigration, and diversity as existential threats to its vision of America. It also frequently promotes the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, which falsely claims there is an organized effort to replace white Americans with non-white immigrants. Patriot Front seeks to dismantle the current political system, which it perceives as corrupt and dominated by globalist interests, replacing it with one aligned with its far-right, ultranationalist ideals.
What happened at DC
Video of the masked group's march shows them gathering near Eastern Market metro station, then leaving on a train from New Carrollton station, as per WFAA.
Social media posts showed the group marching through neighborhoods in the Capitol Hill area before leaving DC by train.
The group marched even though several Fourth of July parades in the DMV area were cancelled, including one for America's 250th birthday in DC.
“The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is tracking First Amendment activities that occurred this morning in the Eastern Market neighborhood. MPD recognizes the rights of individuals to peacefully express their views and remains committed to maintaining public safety and security for DC residents and visitors,” the DC police department said as per WFAA.
