Florida – Atlanta Antifascists

Steven Jason Parr: Neo-Nazi Leader of “Blood Tribe Dixie” in Athens, Georgia

Steven Jason Parr (born November 18, 1972) is the leader of the “Dixie” division of Blood Tribe, a network of militant neo-Nazis with chapters in the US and Canada. Parr presently lives in Athens, Georgia with his wife but hopes to move to Maine, where Blood Tribe’s leader Christopher Pohlhaus has purchased land.

Before he became a fully-fledged neo-Nazi, Parr was an active Proud Boy in Georgia. Over the years, we have highlighted several white supremacist s who passed through the Proud Boys in our state. Membership in this far-Right group is a common pathway to explicit white nationalism.

Parr’s current group, Blood Tribe, is co-organizing a neo-Nazi rally in Florida in September together with the “Goyim Defense League” (GDL), an antisemitic propaganda network. Blood Tribe and the GDL have not publicly released the rally date but over the Labor Day weekend appears likely. Comments on the Telegram messaging application suggest that the neo-Nazi event will take place in or near Orlando.

*“Sam Izdat” (Steven Parr) refers to upcoming Orlando rally in the Telegram chat for White Lives Matter in Georgia*

Steven Parr has been building his “Dixie” network of Blood Tribe since early this year. He has been actively recruiting for the Florida rally, which would be his regional network’s first public display.

*On the Gab far-Right social network, Parr condones the Christchurch, New Zealand mass shootings, which killed 51 people.*

Online, Parr frequently refers to violence. On Telegram, he has also posted footage of himself harassing people around Athens, Georgia. Due to his fantasies of violence, as well as his focus on active harassment, we believe that Parr is a threat to those around him. We hope that Athens residents will circulate this documentation to warn about Parr. Since Parr has mentioned working on air conditioning, we also hope those in the HVAC industry will spread the word.

Documentation: Goyim Defense League Attempted Intimidation at East Cobb Synagogue, June 24, 2023

Update, April 2024: We have identified another participant in the Goyim Defense League rally outside Chabad Lubavitch of Cobb County. GDL member Mel Travis Layton (AKA “John 8:44”) of Missouri was the driver of the white Jeep which passed by the rally several times. Although his face is not visible in footage from East Cobb on June 24, Layton can be seen harassing Temple Beth Israel in downtown Macon the day before. Comments by “John 8:44” in the GDL chat on Telegram indicated that he was part of the group targeting Georgia synagogues over the June weekend. “John 8:44’s” electronic trail allowed us to identify Layton.

Mel Travis Layton (on right, wearing cap) harassing Temple Beth Israel in Macon, Georgia, June 23, 2023

Updated August 2023 to include identification of Amanda Sue Onger (AKA “GothWaffen”) of Florida.

On the evening of Saturday, June 24, supporters of the antisemitic and neo-Nazi “Goyim Defense League” (GDL) rallied outside Chabad Lubavitch of Cobb County in the Atlanta suburbs. The GDL participants held Nazi flags and made “Sieg Heil” salutes in a clear attempt at intimidation.

One day earlier, many of the same characters rallied outside another synagogue, Temple Beth Israel in downtown Macon, Georgia. The GDL’s main figurehead, Jon Eugene Minadeo II (“Handsome Truth”), was briefly arrested over minor charges, but was soon released from jail and continued his Georgia harassment campaign. The GDL is less of a concrete group than a propaganda outfit and brand centering around Minadeo.

*GDL neo-Nazis outside Chabad Lubavitch of Cobb County, 6/24/2023*

In this photo album, we show twelve participants at the GDL’s East Cobb rally on Saturday. The footage is not clear enough to make any determination concerning the driver of the white Jeep that passed by the rally several times.

Of the twelve GDL participants pictured here, we identify the majority by name and associate the remainder with their online aliases. Most of those named here have already been publicly identified by other researchers and monitoring groups. However, GDL participant Matthew Thomas Bukaty of Florida is newly identified. Bukaty goes by the alias “DJ Boomer Tech” online. As well as participating in the GDL’s harassment campaigns, Bukaty is involved with the “Funky Side of Fash” project, which streams electronic music mixes combined with neo-Nazi imagery.

Only four of the neo-Nazis outside Chabad Lubavitch on Saturday appear to be based in Georgia: longtime white supremacist Michael David Weaver; Hilary and Philip Jacobs; as well as “Philly Fresh” (alias). The Jacobs couple as well as Weaver are the most active distributors of GDL propaganda in our state, often throwing bags of antisemitic propaganda onto lawns under the cover of darkness. “Philly Fresh” is part of the White Lives Matter – Georgia chat as well as active within the GDL. Over the last couple of years, our group has identified several others involved in GDL propaganda distribution in Georgia: see the tag on our website for details.

We are publishing these photos as a resource to other antifascist researchers and in the hope that someone will recognize the neo-Nazis who have not yet been publicly exposed. If you have any tips, please get in touch.

Help Identify these White Supremacists: Patriot Front Training Camp, October 2021 (AL, FL, GA & TN Members)

The Unicorn Riot media collective recently released a giant trove of documentation from Patriot Front, a white supremacist and fascist organization operating throughout the US. For more background on Patriot Front, see Torch Network’s earlier overview and check the “Patriot Front” tag on our website.

Among the recently leaked Patriot Front footage, the Unicorn Riot materials includes video from a regional PF training camp held at Williams Landing Park in Tallahassee, Florida, on October 15-17, 2021. Twelve members from four states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee – attended the training. The white supremacist group briefly moved to Lafayette Park in Tallahassee for physical fitness evaluations, shown in some images below.

The training camp aimed to drill and prepare for Patriot Front’s national demonstration on December 4, held in Washington, DC. During that demonstration, Alabama Patriot Front member Ian Michael Elliott (“Norman AL”) served as the personal bodyguard for Patriot Front’s leader, Thomas Rousseau. Elliott facilitated the grappling sessions during the October training camp in Tallahassee.

We have extracted stills from Unicorn Riot’s leaked Patriot Front footage to compile this image gallery. Please share it widely, so we can identify our regional Patriot Front members. We have organized this image gallery by state, with galleries for individual Alabama, Florida, and Georgia members, as well as the sole attending Tennessee member. A collection of group images follows the stills of individual Patriot Front members.

For a broader rogues’ gallery of yet-to-be-identified Patriot Front members from across the country, see Rose City Antifa’s gallery here.

Please contact us if you can help identify any of the unnamed Patriot Front members in this collection.

Nephew of Tennessee Candidate for US Senate is “Patriot Front” Racist Militant in Georgia

Update, November 2020: Bill Hagerty won the Tennessee election for US Senate.

Summary: Twenty-year-old Michael Patrick Hagerty, II is a member of two racist organizations, Patriot Front and Revolt Through Tradition. This year, he placed stickers for those organizations throughout Atlanta. Hagerty even wears clothes designating himself as a “National Socialist” – in other words, a neo-Nazi. His uncle, Bill Hagerty, is a Trump loyalist campaigning as the Republican candidate in Tennessee’s US Senate race, which he will likely win. Bill Hagerty vilifies Black Lives Matter and anti-fascists. Meanwhile, his nephew works with white supremacists to build a climate of intimidation against people of color, Jewish people, Muslims, leftists and LGBTQ communities.

Introduction

Michael Patrick Hagerty, II is a twenty-year-old white nationalist who belongs to two different fascist organizations, Patriot Front (PF) and Revolt Through Tradition (RTT). Over the last year, he has covered Atlanta with stickers for these organizations, trying to give the impression that they have a strong presence in our city. Hagerty has also traveled to meet with other PF and RTT members and posed in photos as they trained together for fighting. Hagerty even wears a t-shirt identifying himself as a “National Socialist”: in other words, a neo-Nazi. One of Hagerty’s associates in Patriot Front is “John GA” (alias), who targeted synagogues in Columbus, Georgia, last year with another PF member, Chris Brooks.

Hagerty’s uncle, William F. Hagerty, is currently campaigning in Tennessee as the Republican candidate in that state’s election for the US Senate, which he will likely win. As a candidate, Bill Hagerty has repeatedly attacked Black Lives Matter and anti-fascists. He characterized Black Lives Matter as aiming to “overthrow the government and usher in Marxism” and echoed Donald Trump’s characterization of anti-fascists as “domestic terrorists”, stating that they “must be stopped”. Through his aggressive public stance against anti-racist movements, Bill Hagerty shelters and emboldens white nationalists like his nephew while they prepare for violence.

White Power Leader Sam Dickson’s Bankruptcy Filings

We are publishing documents from Atlanta attorney and white power leader Sam Dickson’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. These documents not only give a clear picture of Dickson’s business interests but also provide details on Dickson’s political activity and associates. Dickson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2014 (Case 14-29781-LMI, Southern District of Florida US Bankruptcy Court). Then, in March 2015, his “Hickory Hill 1185” company also filed for bankruptcy (Case 15-13854-LMI, Southern District of Florida). The two bankruptcy cases are now jointly administered.

*Sam Dickson at the 2019 “American Renaissance” white nationalist conference*

We have published two earlier articles highlighting Dickson’s and other white nationalists’ activity on the Atlanta property market. For readers unfamiliar with Dickson, we suggest reading our 2017 article, “Right-Wing Gentrification Gangs”, which explains his method for profiting from tax lien purchases in Black and multiracial working-class neighborhoods. Dickson has a history spanning decades in the white nationalist movement. As a participant in the secretive yet influential Charles Martel Society – where Dickson is listed as a Director – and also as a mentor for younger white nationalists, Dickson continues to influence the white power movement to this day.

*Website for Dickson’s “Villas Key West” vacation rentals, Key West, FL.*

Our articles so far have focused on Dickson’s dealings in Atlanta. By publishing Dickson’s bankruptcy filings, we broaden our picture to include information on Dickson’s property in Florida and North Carolina. Dickson’s properties in Atlanta are mostly but not exclusively vacant lots, which make a profit once sold. However, properties such as Dickson’s “Villas Key West” vacation rentals in Key West, Florida, bring in regular income.

Racists Menace Tennessee Church Reeling from Mass Shooting

An earlier version of this article gave Justin Lamar Burger’s name as “Justin William Burger.” We apologize for this error.

Update 11/08/17: The fifth and final participant in the Burnette Chapel protest (who gave the name of “Leah” to media) has been identified as Florida resident Haley Olivia Copeland.

Justin Burger (Douglasville, Georgia), Ian Booton (Gibson, GA) and University of Central Florida Student Simon Michael Dickerman in Far-Right Flash Protest at Burnette Chapel

On Sunday, October 29, white nationalists held a five-person flash protest outside the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee (about twenty minutes from Nashville.) A month earlier, gunman Emanuel Kidega Samson targeted Burnette Chapel, killing one congregation member and wounding seven more. A note left in the shooter’s car allegedly mentioned Dylann Roof, the white supremacist responsible for 2015 massacre at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. White nationalists have now seized on the Burnette Chapel shooting for propaganda purposes, for a couple of reasons. First, the mention of Dylann Roof in the note left in Samson’s vehicle could be used to build a “revenge” narrative around the Antioch shooting — a narrative which is helpful to white nationalists. Second, Emanuel Samson was born in Sudan but spent most of his life in the United States. Far-Right commentators such as Alabama-based League of the South publicist/“Alt-South” blogger Bradley Dean Griffin have seized upon the Antioch shooting to increase racist and anti-immigrant sentiment. The shooting is also useful to white nationalists because it can be used to draw false equivalencies and to deflect attention from their own movement’s role in radicalizing Charleston murderer Dylann Roof.

shelbyville wlm overpowered — *White nationalists outnumbered in Shelbyville, Tennessee, October 28, 2017*

The Burnette Chapel attack was referenced frequently by the Nationalist Front –- a racist umbrella grouping involving the National Socialist Movement, League of the South, Traditionalist Worker Party, Vanguard America and others –- as it organized for its “White Lives Matter” demonstration in Middle Tennessee on Saturday, October 28. Apart from flash mobs, the “White Lives Matter” rally was the first major street demonstration by white nationalists in the US, since the bloody and disastrous “Unite the Right” rally in Virginia this August. Nationalist Front organizers had initially planned to demonstrate in both Shelbyville and Murfreesboro on Saturday the 28th, but after their forces were outnumbered in Shelbyville, Nationalist Front organizers abruptly canceled their second demonstration in Murfreesboro, where a large counter-protest awaited them. On Saturday night following the dismal Shelbyville rally, members of the racist and fascist Traditionalist Worker Party assaulted an interracial couple at a pub in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Shelbyville TN tradworker shields — *Traditionalist Worker Party shields, Shelbyville October 28*

Throughout the weekend of the “White Lives Matter” rally, rumors swirled that Nationalist Front members would show up in Antioch and hold a protest outside Burnette Chapel. However, no such protest occurred on Friday. On Saturday in Shelbyville, racist organizers announced an evening presence at the Antioch church, but this event was eventually cancelled just as the Murfreesboro demonstration had been earlier. However, the next morning, a handful of militant racists showed up outside Burnette Chapel with a banner, until the arrival of police shooed them away. The flash protest was documented by Newsweek correspondent Michael Hayden. By showing up at a church that had already experienced trauma and violence, the white nationalists made it even plainer that their movement does not care about the Burnette Chapel congregation. The racist movement just hoped to exploit a tragedy for its own agenda.

The five white nationalist protesters outside Burnette Chapel on Sunday stated to Newsweek that they were part of Identity Evropa, a racist organization that focuses on college-aged recruits. However, Identity Evropa leader Elliott Kline (AKA “Eli Mosley”) has denied that the five demonstrators in Antioch were members, claiming instead that they were “trolling” by mentioning Identity Evropa as their organization. Surprisingly, Kline seems to be correct. One of the white power protesters outside Burnette Chapel has been identified by Nebraska antifascists as Daniel Kleve of the Vanguard America, which unlike Identity Evropa is affiliated with the Nationalist Front. Although one of the Antioch, Tennessee protesters (who gave her name as “Leah”) remains unidentified, we have identified the remaining three as Justin Lamar Burger of Douglasville, Georgia; Ian Mathis George Booton of Gibson, Georgia; and University of Central Florida student Simon Michael Dickerman. Similarly to Daniel Kleve of Nebraska, Burger, Booton, and Dickerman traveled from out-of-state to participate in the “White Lives Matter” demonstration.

burger booton — *Justin Burger (L) and Ian Booton (R) outside Burnette Chapel in Antioch, Tennessee, October 29, 2017. Photo courtesy of Michael E Hayden.*

Continue reading “Racists Menace Tennessee Church Reeling from Mass Shooting”

Alt-Right Operational Document Shows Planning for Richard Spencer’s Gainesville Visit, Involvement of Would-be Murderers

On October 19, white nationalist leader Richard Spencer held a speaking event at the University of Florida campus in Gainesville. Spencer was met by a large anti-fascist mobilization organized by the #NoNazisAtUF coalition and supported by anti-racists from throughout the South. The event was a clear victory for anti-racists. Spencer was jeered and frequently drowned out from inside the venue, and ended his event ahead of schedule. Two thousand protesters simultaneously rallied outside, with many in the crowd confronting and chasing the white supremacists who showed up for Spencer. The University of Florida spent approximately $600,000 to protect the white power leader; the Governor declared a State of Emergency ahead of time; but a broad-based anti-racist/anti-fascist coalition nevertheless won the day.

altright gville oct 19 audience — *Small numbers of white power militants sitting in front rows at Richard Spencer’s University of Florida event before rest of audience admitted*

After Spencer’s event had ended, a vehicle containing white nationalists from Texas provoked, then fired a shot at protesters waiting at a bus stop just outside of campus. Nobody was hit. William Fears, Colton Fears, and Tyler Tenbrink were eventually found and charged with attempted homicide. According to police, it was Tyler Tenbrink that fired the shot.

L-R: Tyler Tenbrink, William Fears and Colton Fears

A planning document for Richard Spencer’s visit — which anti-racists accessed and which we are now publishing in full — suggests that the would-be killers from Texas were not mere supporters of Richard Spencer, but traveled to campus as part of Spencer’s operational plan for the day. The operational document also reveals details such as there being an after-party for Alt-Right militants who assisted with the Gainesville event, and that Spencer and other “VIPs” planned dinner with donors while visiting the city.

The operational plan developed for Gainesville by Richard Spencer’s closest associates reveals coordination with both the University of Florida and police, with both parties described by the Alt-Right racists as “cooperating.” According to the plans distributed to staff at Spencer’s National Policy Institute, Patriot Front, an openly fascist organization, was a key organization participating in the racist “Task Force” for Gainesville. The planning document appears to have made plans for larger numbers of white nationalists than showed up, again pointing to Gainesville as a flop for Richard Spencer’s movement. This defeat happened at a time when the racist “Alt-Right” is desperate for any sort of win, in the aftermath of the bloody and disastrous “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville this August.

The “Operation Gator” document mentions that white nationalists had plans for a “flash mob” in the event that University of Florida cancelled Spencer’s speech — with racists showing up elsewhere on campus or in Gainesville to make their presence felt (with predictable intimidation and likely targeted violence). In actuality, Spencer did not have his speech cancelled by the University but rather cut it short himself after being humiliated by the student/community mobilization. The “Operation Gator” plan stated that participants ought not bring guns. However, it was in the context of political defeat (but not any University cancellation) that some of Spencer’s allies attempted to settle scores with anti-racists, nearly committing a murder.

Continue reading “Alt-Right Operational Document Shows Planning for Richard Spencer’s Gainesville Visit, Involvement of Would-be Murderers”

Meet Zac Johnson: Hitler-Loving “Alt-Right” Propagandist in Alpharetta, Georgia

Summary

For years, Zachary Johnson of Alpharetta has quietly but constantly worked for the white nationalist cause. Zac Johnson is mostly active in writing, social media, and especially graphic design for the racist movement. He also travels to white nationalist conferences and organizes with “Alt-Right” circles regionally. Using an online alias, Johnson is clear that he admires Adolf Hitler, who he refers to as “uncle.” When promoting his custom bird house business or trying to rent his vacation cabin in the North Georgia mountains, Johnson is less upfront about his beliefs. We believe that key players in the white power scene deserve public scrutiny. Zachary Van Johnson is one such figure.

Zac Johnson portrait — *Zachary Van Johnson*

Continue reading “Meet Zac Johnson: Hitler-Loving “Alt-Right” Propagandist in Alpharetta, Georgia”

Fascist Lawyer Augustus Invictus Dropped from International Left Hand Path Consortium Event in Atlanta

Fascist lawyer and candidate for US Senate Augustus Invictus has been dropped as a presenter at the International Left Hand Path Consortium occultist event in Atlanta, April 8-10. The story of Invictus being removed from the Consortium lineup appeared on Watcher of the Dawn, a website serving as a “watchdog for the occult scene.” Invictus’ removal has also been independently verified by other sources.

invictus rac Augustus Invictus speaks in front of banner for Rock Against Communism, a racist and far-Right movement, December 2015

The decision to remove Augustus Invictus as a presenter appears to be partially due to some Consortium presenters dropping out from the event because of Invictus’ fascist politics and political organizing with neo-Nazis. A more proximate cause of Invictus’ cancellation, however, seems to have been Augustus Invictus having an online meltdown, in which Invictus goaded his critics to “kill me”. This appears to have unsettled event organizers and caused them to pull the plug on Invictus.

In recent weeks, main Consortium organizer Laurie Pneumatikos had staunchly defended Invictus’ appearance at the Consortium, removing any anti-racist criticism from the event Facebook page. With the cancellation of Invictus from the Consortium in Atlanta, Pneumatikos’ written defense of Invictus (in response to concerns raised on this site) has also vanished from the Consortium website.

At least one additional Consortium presenter has now dropped out of the event in solidarity with Invictus, a development which suggests that parts of the occult milieu remain deeply divided over fascism and how to respond to it (or not to respond.) Now seems like a good time to give kudos to those who made the potentially-uncomfortable decision to speak out against fascism and racism in their community.

Meanwhile, Augustus Invictus remains scheduled to speak at the flagrantly neo-Nazi gathering/rally of the National Socialist Movement on April 23 in Rome, Georgia.

Update: The International Left Hand Path Consortium has now issued a statement. For whatever it’s worth, you can read it here.

Fascist Lawyer Augustus Invictus to Speak at National Socialist Movement Meeting/Rally in Rome GA, April 23

Update 3/14/2016: Invictus has been dropped from the International Left Hand Path Consortium event mentioned in this article, see story here. Invictus remains scheduled to speak at the NSM gathering on April 23.

Florida lawyer, candidate for US Senate and fascist Augustus Invictus has announced that he will give another speech in Georgia this April. As discussed earlier, Invictus is being hosted as a speaker on April 10^th by the International Left Hand Path Consortium occultist gathering in Atlanta. Now, Invictus has also agreed to talk at the National Socialist Movement (NSM) national meeting plus white power rally planned for Rome, Georgia on April 23^rd. The NSM is a blatant neo-Nazi organization. Its April 23^rd rally in Rome GA is co-sponsored by groups such as the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan as well as remnants of the Aryan Nations.

augustus invictus speaking at NSM Rome rally dl 3 9 2016 National Socialist Movement announces Augustus Invictus as speaker at April 23^rd gathering in Rome GA

Invictus announced that he will speak at the National Socialist Movement gathering in a March 8^th Facebook post at the “Augustus Invictus for US Senate” page. This post is no longer available on Facebook at the time of writing. However, its complete text has been archived at the American Third Party Report website. In his announcement, Invictus claims that “I am not endorsing the National Socialist Movement” while he sets out his reasoning for participating in the neo-Nazi event in Rome. (As usual, Invictus cites his “Hispanic children” as evidence for his lack of racism.) The overarching theme of Invictus’ piece is the need for “unity of Libertarians, patriots, and nationalists against a common enemy.” Invictus claims this enemy is the “Federal Government” controlled by “globalist”/ “internationalist” forces; it is on this political basis that Invictus argues for an alliance with neo-Nazis.

Invictus’ fascist politics were already apparent when Atlanta Antifascist Notes first raised the issue of Invictus’ participation in the April 10^th Left Hand Path Consortium event. However, since that time Invictus’ far-Right worldview plus his role in regrouping and organizing white supremacists have all become even more apparent. For example, while visiting the Pacific Northwest late February Invictus spoke before a gathering of neo-Nazis affiliated with the American Front, the organization whose Florida leader Marcus Faella Invictus represented in court. Following his time in the Northwest US (including a minor fracas with antifascists while visiting Portland, Oregon) Invictus attempted to enter Canada to speak in Vancouver, BC. Invictus was turned away at the border due to his links to neo-Nazis; white supremacists including a former leader of a “Blood & Honour” neo-Nazi faction had planned to attend Invictus’ Vancouver event.

Despite Invictus’ role in far-Right organizing–including his increasing efforts alongside neo-Nazis–the International Left Hand Path Consortium organizers insist on hosting Augustus Invictus as a speaker at their upcoming Atlanta event. At times, these organizers have taken ludicrous positions while defending their decision to host Invictus–for example arguing that Invictus’ use of the symbol of the fasces does not imply any sympathy towards fascist ideology, a point which is easily debunked.

invictus american fascist Augustus Invictus describes himself as “American Fascist”

If you wish to express concern about Invictus’ speaking engagement at the International Left Hand Path Consortium, contact the Sheraton Atlanta Airport Hotel venue here.

Background on the NSM event in Rome is here. If you have further information about Invictus’ appearance or the Rome rally, please get in contact.