The Advocate

Swastika-waving neo-Nazi group disrupts Georgia LGBTQ+ Pride celebration

A group of men waving a flag with a swastika and hurling antigay slurs showed up at a Pride parade in Georgia on Saturday. About 10 white men in matching red and black outfits, with about half wearing black masks, appeared at Athens PrideFest and marched to boos from attendees, according to videos shared on social media. In one video, a person can be heard shouting, “Show your face, you f***ing cowards.” See on Instagram Related : These 24 violent extremist & anti-LGBTQ+ advocacy groups pose a danger to LGBTQ+ people In another video obtained by Atlanta First News , the men give Nazi salutes, and attendees told the outlet they shouted “Heil Hitler” along with racist and anti-gay slurs. The Pride event organizers condemned the group's appearance. “Athens Pride and Queer Collective unequivocally condemns the individuals displaying Nazi imagery and shouting hateful rhetoric during yesterday’s PrideFest,” a statement distributed to the media reads. “Their appearance was intended to intimidate, divide, and spread fear, but it failed to overshadow the overwhelming spirit of joy, solidarity, and love that defined our community celebration.” The watchdog group StopAntisemitism identified the group as the Blood Tribe , a neo-Nazi organization founded by Christopher Pohlhaus. The group has shown up at events across the country in recent years. Related : Tens of thousands show up and out for Atlanta's 55th annual Pride “Pohlhaus, former Maine resident and tattoo artist, has openly associated with prominent extremists, including Jon Minadeo II,” according to a post on the StopAntisemitism X account. “In 2022, he posted a photo of himself tattooing the Nazi Totenkopf (‘death's head’) symbol on Minadeo's arm, a symbol historically associated with Nazi SS units.” The symbol of the Blood Tribe is a red blood drop on a black background, similar to the color scheme worn by the men at the Pride event. Pohlhaus has also dressed similarly in formal red-and-black suits. The Anti-Defamation League says the white supremacist group reveres Adolf Hitler as a deity. The group at the Athens event did not become violent, and no arrests were made, one organizer told Atlanta First News. Related : How a Black-led, queer-affirming church is thriving in the South The appearance was brief, and the men left the parade after Athens Pride officials deployed a “hater blocker” banner to obstruct the group's view, according to CBS News. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department told media outlets that officers monitored the men throughout the event. Organizers told CBS that the group's presence ultimately amounted to a short-lived disruption. “They hurt morale around the parade briefly," said Elliot Williamson, executive director of Athens Pride and Queer Collective, "but overall I'm proud of how our community handled the situation."

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