White supremacists march on Orlando, waving swastika flags and raising Heil Hitler salutes – just days after racist Dollar General store attack in Jacksonville that left three dead
Multiple groups of so-called neo-Nazis were spotted marching through parks in the Orlando area on Saturday, with one group even ending up at the gates of Walt Disney World.
Social media videos showed the groups — known as “Blood Tribe” and “The Goyim Defense League” — taking to the streets of Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Spring.
The protesters, captured on video by State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, gave the Nazi salute and chanted “we are everywhere.”
It happened just days after racist mass shooter Ryan Palmer killed three black people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville. Palmer walked into the store on Saturday armed with two firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle emblazoned with swastikas.
According to fliers, the two groups teamed up to organize a “March of the Redshirts” rally.
Multiple groups of so-called neo-Nazis were spotted marching through parks in the Orlando area on Saturday, with one group even ending up at the gates of Walt Disney World.
The Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism warned in a statement Friday that the rallies would take place sometime in September.
They said they “expect that the group is likely to hold several demonstrations in high-visibility locations — such as a sports or entertainment venue, a highway overpass, a government building, or in front of an LGBTQ+ location or Jewish institution — to attract as many audiences and Jewish attract institutions. media attention possible.’
Members of the Blood Tribe were later spotted on the highway by right-wing journalist and former congressional candidate Laura Loomer.
At one point, the video showed one of the members telling Loomer to “throw her into an oven,” while also yelling swear words at her.
Loomer was clearly angry at the protesters’ behavior, but defended their right to do so.
“Very vicious and irrational behaviour. But it’s moments like this that remind us that this is what freedom of speech was created for. Statements you disagree with are also freedom of speech,” Loomer tweeted.
“While I certainly don’t enjoy the way I was treated today as I drove home from an afternoon of shopping and had my hair done, it reminds us that freedom of speech must apply to everyone or we have no freedom for anyone of speech,” she added.
There were even groups of far-right supporters — claiming to be affiliated with the “Aryan Freedom Network” — who waved Nazi flags at the gates of Disney World, alongside flags supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Christopher “Hammer” Pohlhaus (pictured center right) leads a meeting with neo-Nazi groups Blood Tribe and Goyim Defense League
People hold swastika flags as neo-Nazi groups march in Orlando
Videos on social media showed the groups – known as “Blood Tribe” and “The Goyim Defense League” – marching through Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Spring.
A neo-Nazi from the Blood Tribe group poses for a photo at a rally
Members of the Blood Tribe were later spotted on the highway by right-wing journalist and former congressional candidate Laura Loomer
Protesters claiming to support DeSantis performed a similar stunt outside of Disney in late June.
Conservative media personality Kyle Beckerhowever, suggested that they were not necessarily serious and were merely trying to discredit the Republicans.
“Here we go again with that false flag nonsense. These are “DeSantis supporters” flying neo-Nazi flags outside Disney World. Your life must be sad to do right wing cosplay because your ideas are worthless. It’s just so pathetic.’
Blood Tribe and Aryan Freedom Network are extreme white supremacist groups that espouse anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic views and parade in military dress, often while heavily armed.
Former US Marine Christopher Polhaus, who has been linked to the 2021 January 6 riots at the US Capitol Building in Washington DC, founded Blood Tribe.
Closely associated with the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Freedom Network was founded by the daughter of a former leader of the racist group – known as a Grand Dragon.
Blood Tribe and Aryan Freedom Network are extreme white supremacist groups that embrace anti-Semitic, racist and homophobic views and parade in military dress
Closely associated with the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Freedom Network was founded by the daughter of a former leader of the racist group – known as a Grand Dragon
Former US Marine Christopher Polhaus, who has been linked to the 2021 January 6 riots at the US Capitol Building in Washington DC, founded Blood Tribe
There were even groups of far-right supporters — claiming to be affiliated with the “Aryan Freedom Network” — who waved Nazi flags at the gates of Disney World alongside flags in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, similar to the June protests . Some conservatives thought these protests were a “false flag.”
The Goyim Defense League is an anti-Semitic group of provocateurs whose loose networks of members across the country help it mix and collaborate with other neo-Nazi groups.
Strongholds include Arizona, California, Georgia and Texas, but many of the recent stunts have taken place in Florida, the new home of California-raised Minadeo II.
It specializes in performing highly offensive stunts, such as riding around in vans defaced with anti-Semitic slurs while dressed as Jews on what they call “Name the Nose” tours.
The word Goyim is a disparaging Yiddish and Hebrew word for non-Jews.
Last year, at least 50 different white supremacist groups flooded the country with record amounts of racist propaganda, including fliers, banners, graffiti and laser projections, the ADL said.