Summary
Masked neo-Nazis marched through Columbus, Ohio’s Short North neighborhood on Saturday, displaying swastika flags and making racist and antisemitic statements.
Police are investigating, and no arrests have been reported.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Columbus officials condemned the display, emphasizing that hate and bigotry have no place in the state.
The incident follows a similar demonstration in Michigan last week, where masked protesters displayed Nazi flags outside a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank.
It’s horrible and racist but at least there is free speech. It’s too bad we can’t have free speech without this sort of thing. Perhaps one day people will become kinder and less racist. It scares me but the alternative of no free speech scares me more.
Oh, just put your mask on and get back out there, numbnuts
… that said I think there’s a huge difference between suggesting that this kind of thing be made illegal, and criticizing people with power and influence (including politicians) for actively encouraging it and benefiting from it
Paradox of tolerance
I mean this is less of a free speech issue and more of a lack of information and education issue coupled with foreign disinformation campaigns. And specifically for America, also a societal isolation issue. Americans outside downtown rarely get any human contact and it shows, as trust between neighbors deteriorates. This sort of stuff is far less prevalent in countries that put more value in education and building communities.