Three days ago, residents of Lincoln Heights, Ohio drove Nazis from their community after the fascists temporarily took over an overpass. Police protected the Nazis while they milled about, shouting racial slurs and waving swastika and totenkopf (death’s head) flags. That continued until locals intervened and forced the Nazis to flee. Fascist incidents were on the rise in the U.S. before Donald Trump took office for a second term, but Elon Musk‘s Nazi salute has only spurred on the white supremacists. Banding together to stand with their community and against fascism, several Lincoln Heights residents took to the streets with weapons to protect the peace.
Lincoln Heights Says No to Nazis
Ye might be embracing fascism, but the residents of this Ohio town made it clear that they aren’t. Following reports that the Nazis snuck back into Lincoln Heights to vandalize cars, the Black community has reportedly organized armed patrols to protect the community.
Fascist aggression (often with police protection, as was the case in Ohio) is a problem American communities will increasingly face under Trump and his reactionary allies. Yet it’s a threat that many communities have spent years preparing for, always at the ready for the next racist attack. An Instagram video by @tariqelite about Lincoln Height’s defense efforts garnered over 14k likes and numerous comments supporting the community’s actions. “We are ready in Cleveland too 🔥,” said one commenter. As another put it,
This is great, nobody is going to help us but us💪🏾✌🏾❗❗
The Trump administration has already pardoned J6 insurrectionists, stripped away protections for trans people and other marginalized communities, and begun the conversion of Guantanamo Bay into a concentration camp. Fascism isn’t going anywhere anytime soon in America, but neither are those who stand against it. Community organizing efforts like those in Lincoln Heights will be increasingly necessary to protect the lives and freedoms of citizens and non-citizens alike.
