NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Members of a far right group marched through the streets of downtown Nashville Saturday afternoon.
Dozens of men in blue shirts and khakis, covering their faces with white cloths, sunglasses, and wearing baseball caps marched around downtown Nashville.
A viewer sent in a video of the group — who calls themselves Patriot Front — climbing out of the back of three U-Hauls in the parking lot of Nissan Stadium.
They continued to march through downtown with a "Reclaim America" banner, American flags, a Confederate flag, and passing out flyers while chanting on their way to the front of the Capitol. Some also held red, white, and blue shields.
They also spray painted their logo under the Woodland St. Bridge, which is vandalism.
The group Patriot Front has caused problems in other cities before. Southern Poverty Law Center calls them one of the most prominent white supremacist groups in the country. In 2022, the FBI assisted in the investigation and arrest of 31 members of the group for conspiring to riot in Idaho at a Pride event.
That same year the city of Boston condemned the group for marching through its streets.
This is not the first time a white supremacist group has marched through Nashville. Asimilar scenehappened downtown in February. Racist flyers have been spread around Nashville in the past.
Data from the SPLC says the number of racist flyers found in Tennessee shot up from 21 reported incidents in 2018 to 268 last year.
Regarding Saturday's march, the Tennessee Democratic Party made a statement calling on Republican lawmakers to condemn the acts of the group with them.
TNDP Chair Hendrell Remus stated, "While our Republican state leaders sit quietly by, we refuse to let hate filled racists terrorize our community.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville also wrote a statement saying it is outraged, and that it expects city leaders make the group face consequences for assembling without required permits.
NewsChannel 5 reached out to Metro Police. They simply said they were aware of their presence and the group has since left.
My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
