Photo Courtesy of Bruce Yuanyue Bi
The night before Independence Day, dozens of white supremacist men associated with the right-wing organization Patriot Front marched in front of Philadelphia’s City Hall.
Their faces were covered with white masks, and they were waving flags. Philadelphians were not having it.
Users posted videos on Twitter showing spectators cursing at the group and shouting that they “should be ashamed” of themselves. Many also called them cowards, noting that their faces were covered to not be identified.
Some “minor pushing and shoving with members of the group” was reported, and some colored smoke could be seen billowing amongst the crowd in one of the videos.
In past white supremacists rallies, such as the one in Charlottesville in 2017, participants who were identified ultimately lost their jobs.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, Patriot Front is “a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it solely to them.”
According to NBC Philadelphia, the group is based out of Texas and often participates in localized flash mobs in cities across the country.
According to The Independent,
a similar group, claiming to be members of the Patriot Front, marched in Washington, D.C., the same night.Related Story: Brooklyn George Floyd Statue Vandalized By White Supremacist Group
White supremacist groups and racial violence have been on the rise since the election of Donald Trump. Many felt that the former president encouraged such groups with his often-inflammatory rhetoric, including a now-infamous moment during the 2021 Presidential debates. He told another white supremacist group, the Proud Boys, to “stand back and stand by.”
Several white supremacist groups were also implicated as part of the January 6th Capitol Riot, in which armed rioters stormed the building intent overturning the election results that confirmed Joe Biden as the next President of the United States.
Despite the tension, the confrontation between white supremacists and onlookers in Philadelphia was relatively peaceful. However, several people noted the lack of police presence on-site during the incident, and there were no arrests reported to the Daily Beast.