The confirmation from the mayor’s office came two days after a group of white supremacists marched in Nashville. It was revealed that the group did not obtain a permit to march in the city.
On Saturday, the Patriot Front marched through the streets of downtown Nashville. The group identified themselves by this name.
As they marched through downtown, they proudly displayed a “Reclaim America” banner, along with American flags and even a Confederate flag. They handed out flyers and chanted as they made their way towards the front of the Capitol. In addition, some of the marchers carried red, white, and blue shields, adding to the patriotic atmosphere.
Under the Woodland St. Bridge, they committed an act of vandalism by spray-painting their logo.
According to Alex Apple, spokesperson for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, the mayor has made it clear that hate speech, although legal, is not acceptable in Nashville. He has reached out to both the MNPD and Metro Legal to gather information on any known law violations during recent demonstrations. While safety has been a primary concern in the past, the focus is now on ensuring that any future activities are lawful expressions of speech, which has not been the case in recent events.
Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee stated that it is not acceptable to condone the position of the far-right group on anti-Semitism.
Lee expressed his condemnation towards groups that have anti-Semitic ties, stating that they should be held accountable at all levels. He acknowledged the long-standing suffering of Jewish people around the world and in the community, and emphasized that intolerance towards anti-Semitism should not be accepted in any form. Lee also recognized the increasing incidents of anti-Semitism in the country and urged everyone to speak out against it at every opportunity within their community.
While the march has not been publicly criticized by other Republican leaders in Tennessee, the Tennessee Democratic Party and Nashville Jewish Federation have both denounced it.
Back in February, the group took it upon themselves to deface the retaining wall located in Brentwood, on the side of Interstate 65. As a result, the Tennessee Department of Transportation had to take the necessary measures and paint over it.
In February, there were reports of additional racist flyers being distributed in downtown Nashville. The city has unfortunately seen a history of such incidents in the past.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there was a significant increase in the number of racist flyers found in Tennessee. In 2018, only 21 incidents were reported, whereas in the previous year, 268 incidents were reported.
