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Last month, members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front were arrested on their way to riot at a Pride in Idaho.
White supremacists marched through Boston's city center and fought with a Black man yesterday, triggering a civil rights investigation into the group's presence.
A little after noon, police became aware of the extremist group's presence. A white nationalist group, Patriot Front, had assembled members for a march through downtown Boston, according to the Boston Herald.
A rental truck unloaded several shields and flags near a transit station in Haymarket at about 12:30 p.m. The banners included U.S. flags flown upside down, 13 stars in a circle for the original 13 colonies, and right-wing extremist symbols.
Videos posted to social media show Patriot Front members marching with several flags that also featured Mussolini's symbol for the National Fascist Party.
\u201cPatriot Front taking a casual stroll along the Freedom Trail\u201d— The Rum Tum Taurus (@The Rum Tum Taurus) 1656780375
At about 1:25 p.m., Boston Police received a report of an adult Black man being injured during a confrontation with Patriot Front members.
As the man walked down Dartmouth Street, he said a group of Patriot Front members pushed him, according to Boston Police Department chief spokesman Sgt. Detective John Boyle.
Online photos show a fight between one Black man and the group.
\u201cThe Patriot Front, which sought to attack to a LGBTQ Pride March last month, walked through Boston today beating up a Black man. This is #July4th weekend 2022. #TransLash @translashmedia\u201d— Imara Jones (@Imara Jones) 1656800335
No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident. However, there is a civil rights investigation underway.
Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, responded to the incident with a tweet "To the white supremacists who ran through downtown today: When we march, we don't hide our faces. Your hate is as cowardly as it is disgusting, and it goes against all that Boston stands for."
\u201cTo the white supremacists who ran through downtown today: \n\nWhen we march, we don\u2019t hide our faces. Your hate is as cowardly as it is disgusting, and it goes against all that Boston stands for.\u201d— Michelle Wu \u5433\u5f2d (@Michelle Wu \u5433\u5f2d) 1656791443
The marchers wore matching khaki pants, navy or dark-colored polo shirts, bandanas or similar coverings over their lower faces, sunglasses, and ball caps -- typical for extremist group members.
The crowd marched down Commonwealth Avenue before turning toward Dartmouth Street toward Boylston and stopping at the Boston Public Library area at 1:14 p.m., according to a Herald photographer at the scene.
Patriot Front is classified as white nationalists or white supremacists by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League.
Police in Idaho arrested 31 Patriot Front members last month in a U-Haul loaded with shields on their way to Coeur d'Alene's Pride in the Park.
