Antifascists in Ohio Call for Counter-Demonstration Against Far-Right Rally on January 6th

Antifascists in Ohio have put out a call to oppose a planned far-Right demonstration at the Ohio Statehouse on January 6th. According to Ohio Right Watch, the demonstration is being organized by a several far-Right organizers with a long history of attacking LGBTQ+ events across the state. This includes Keri Diehl, was was seen standing alongside members of the neo-Nazi group Blood Tribe in Wadsworth, Ohio last year, along with a variety of far-Right and white supremacist groups which rallied against a local drag event.

Other organizers include Jeremy R. Deeter, who was also present at last year’s white supremacist rally alongside groups like the Proud Boys and Blood Tribe in Wadsworth, OH. Deeter has a background in far-Right militia politics, and was profiled by Buzzfeed as being directly connected to the far-Right group which plotted to kidnap the Governor of Michigan.

In a long, ranting Facebook video about the January 6th event, Deeter claimed that white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups such as Blood Tribe, White Lives Matter, and Patriot Front would be attending the rally on the 6th, although referred to these groups as “freaks.” Despite Deeter’s rejection of outright neo-Nazi groups, his Facebook page is littered with references to the white supremacist “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, and as Wadsworth shows, he is still willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with outright neo-Nazis flying swastika flags if it means attacking common enemies.

A press release sent out to the media by antifascist groups stated:

On January 6th, multiple fascist, neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and white nationalist hate organizations have planned a demonstration at the Ohio Statehouse. The organizations involved include Proud Boys, Patriot Front, Bikers For Trump, We The People (a front group for White Lives Matter), and Blood Tribe. They are organizing this event to commemorate the events of attack on our nation’s capital on 6th, 2021, as well as to honor individuals killed or incarcerated as a direct result of their failed uprising and attempted coup.

All of these groups openly espouse fascist and/or far-right politics and ideologies. Although some may not openly identify as fascist, their political positions, violent rhetoric, and behavior of hate, bigotry, and violence reveal fascism to be their true nature, and is evident through their recent postings to social media.

Over the past several years, the groups and individuals involved have attacked, antagonized, and harassed LGBTQ+ events across the state, including here in Columbus. On December 3rd, 2022, they violently attacked an event at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Clintonville. On April 23rd, 2023, they harassed an event at Land Grant Brewing in Franklinton.

On behalf of the People of Columbus and of the State of Ohio, we declare firmly and unequivocally that these fascist groups and individuals are not welcome in our city, nor state, and reject any gathering organized in their name. We reject fascism in all its forms, both overt and covert. We reject their organizations and their values as irredeemably anti-democratic and anti-human. We declare as a community that peace and freedom are incompatible with their values and goals. Fascist ideology is inherently a call to violence against the most vulnerable members of our society. We reject any notion that they should be granted the benefit of free speech or free assembly. Fascism must never be tolerated under any circumstances, and we will not permit any fascist gathering to go unchallenged.

Further, we call for all good willing community members, community leaders, and community organizations to join us in public in the denouncement of and in counter-demonstration against their hate and bigotry…Those willing to join us can do so at 9AM at the Ohio Statehouse on January 6th, 2024.

Antifascist groups are encouraging people to mobilize at 8:30 AM at the Ohio Statehouse. Follow Ohio Right Watch for more information.