Following neo-Nazi attacks, residents of a historic Black town in Ohio formed an armed protection group.
According to NBC News, Lincoln Heights, which is widely regarded as the first all-Black, self-governing city north of the Mason-Dixon Line, has launched a Safety and Watch program to protect its residents from future racist attacks following a Neo-Nazi rally last month.
Dozens of neo-Nazis waved swastika flags and shouted racial slurs on a highway overpass near the majority-Black community. During the February 7 demonstration, the group also held a sign reading “America for the White Man.”
Evendale police and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the rally, but no arrests were made. Authorities also refused to take names or identify any members of the neo-Nazi group.
Evendale Mayor Richard Finan said in a statement that the officers were focused on de-escalation, which resulted in the incident being resolved without any injuries to anyone involved, passersby, or law enforcement officers. During this evolving scene, protecting life took precedence over immediate identification.”
Lincoln Heights residents were concerned about the police response to the incident, prompting members of the Heights Movement, an existing community empowerment organization, to launch the safety and watch program.
According to Daronce Daniels, a spokesperson for the Lincoln Heights Safety and Watch program, police have “been very clear that if it happens again, they’ll allow it to happen again, that their hands are tied.”
Armed volunteers in tactical gear and face coverings patrol the area as part of the safety and watch program. Ohio state law allows anyone who can legally own a firearm to open carry without a permit.
Yard signs reading “We Support Lincoln Heights Safety & Watch” can be found throughout the town. Volunteers from Safety and Watch recently stood guard near a local elementary school to prevent hate groups from harassing students.
“I’ve never felt safer as a Black man in my community than I have right now,” Daniels told the crowd. “These are my friends.” “These are my cousins, brothers, sisters, and aunties.”
