“I feel like it’s more secure now,” one woman said. “I know my son can walk home and be OK.”

Summary

Following a February 7th neo-Nazi rally, residents of Lincoln Heights, a majority-Black Ohio town, formed an armed Safety and Watch Program to protect against hate groups.

The rally, where participants waved swastikas and shouted slurs, received little police intervention, sparking fears of future threats when no arrests or identifications were made during the incident.

Volunteers now patrol bus stops and neighborhoods. “I’ve never felt safer as a Black man in my community,” said spokesperson Daronce Daniels.

The historically underserved and self-governing community shows strong support for the initiative with yard signs and sees this as a continuation of its legacy of self-reliance and community defense.

  • @booly@sh.itjust.works
    22•22 hours ago

    She said this measure would have given her officers more leeway to make arrests during the neo-Nazi rally.

    Isn’t this just an acknowledgement that the mask wearers weren’t breaking any law, but the Sheriff just really wanted to arrest them for some reason?