Nazis take to the streets in Orlando, Florida chanting ‘white power’ and throwing Hitler salutes
The neo-Nazi groups Blood Tribe, and Goyim Defense League hold a rally on 2 September, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Shocking video footage has shown a group of Nazis chanting “white power” and waving swastika flags on the streets of Orlando, Florida, as they threw Hitler salutes.
Footage shared on social media was filmed by videographer and independent journalist Brendan Gutenschwager and shows members of the Blood Tribe and Goyim Defense League organisations, amongst others, demonstrating in Orlando.
Donning red t-shirts featuring neo-Nazi symbols and black face masks, the members are seen chanting “white power” and waving flags which feature the Nazi swastika symbol, as well as throwing up Heil Hitler saltues.
The extremist demonstration comes just days after the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism issued a community advisory, warning that both groups were planning to march in the state in September as part of a ‘March of the Redshirts’ rally.
On Friday (1 September) the organisation warned the groups were likely to distribute materials such as fliers and “hold several demonstrations in high visibility locations – like a sporting or entertainment venue, highway overpass, government building or in front of an LGBTQ+ venue or Jewish institution – in order to attract as much public and media attention as possible”.
Information collected by ADL states the Blood Tribe are a hard-line white supremacist group which emphasises hyper-masculinity and calls for a white ethnostate occupied and run by “Ayrans”.
Run by Christopher Pohlhaus, the Blood Tribe reportedly dabble in Wotanism, a variant of Norse Paganism, and Esoteric Hitlerism – the belief that Adolf Hitler is a godlike figure.
The group has previously appeared alongside anti-trans ‘LGB’ group, Gays Against Groomers, in protesting family-friendly drag shows and Pride events.
Goyim Defense League are described by the ADL as “a small network of virulently antisemitic provocateurs” whose overarching goal is to expel Jews from America and spread antisemitic conspiracy theories about Jewish people.
The rally saw some members outside the gates of Disney World, where they destroyed a Pride flag and expressed support for Florida governor Ron DeSantis over current Republican front runner Donald Trump, before being dispersed by local police.
‘Absolutely disgusting’
“We know these groups demonstrate in high profile areas in order to agitate and incite people with antisemitic symbols and slurs,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to NBC News.
It added the sheriff’s office” deplores hate speech in any form, but people have the First Amendment right to demonstrate”.
“What these groups do is revolting and condemned in the strongest way by Sheriff [John] Mina and the Sheriff’s Office. They are looking for attention, and specifically media attention,” the statement added.
Sharing footage of the neo-Nazis in Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs – around 12 miles north of Orlando – Democrat state representative Anna V Eskamani called the demonstration “absolutely disgusting stuff” and a “another example of the far right extremism growing” in Florida.
Sarah Emmons, the ADL’s Florida regional director, said in a statement on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that the organisation is “deeply outraged” by the extremist groups’ demonstrations.
“This type of hateful activity has no place in our community,” Emmons said, calling on public officials to stand up and “clearly denounce this hateful activity”.
“We cannot allow for hate and extremist beliefs to become normalised in our society,” she added.
