Filed under: Action, Anti-fascist, Police, Southeast, White Supremacy
Report from Anti-Racist Alliance of North Georgia on how a white supremacist organizer tied to the local GOP is holding a “Back the Blue” fundraiser to build connections with local law enforcement.
North Georgia community members are calling for the Sheriff of Lumpkin County, Stacy Jarrard, to publicly disavow a September 12 “Back the Blue” fundraiser for the Sheriff’s Department and to refuse any proceeds from the event.
"Fourth generation Klansman" and neo-Nazi leader, Chester Doles, the man behind a pro-Trump rally being backed by a collection of neo-Nazis, is currently on probation for "smashing a woman’s head into a wall" at a local bar in 2016. https://t.co/C9eBUh4Dsn
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) September 13, 2019
The September 12 fundraising gathering is organized by “American Patriots USA” (APUSA), a far-Right organization led by white supremacist Chester Doles. When Doles led the Georgia unit of the neo-Nazi “National Alliance” in the early 2000s, he attempted to recruit law enforcement to the organization.
APUSA’s September event marks the one-year anniversary of a rally by Doles in downtown Dahlonega, Georgia which featured Hitler sympathizer Jovi Valle as a speaker and attracted a contingent of Ku Klux Klan members among the pro-Trump crowd. Hundreds of law enforcement swamped the area and focused their attention on anti-racist counter-protesters. APUSA was formed in the aftermath.
This year’s fundraising event is framed as a “thank you” by APUSA to law enforcement for their service last year. APUSA is tying their monetary support of the Sheriff’s Department to crackdowns against their political opponents, with Chester Doles writing: “All proceeds […] will be donated to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Department, to help combat local domestic terrorist.”
In leaked videos, we see here as elected Republican and State House Representative for District 8, Matthew Gurtler speaks in mid-March of 2002 in front of American Patriots USA, which is led by long time neo-Nazi and former KKK members, Chester Doles. pic.twitter.com/3GZ3avnCkZ
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) May 13, 2020
With American Patriots USA, Chester Doles has pretended to turn over a new leaf after spending decades organizing with the Klan, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists. APUSA has built broader alliances with militiamen and Republican candidates, including some far-Right people of color. However, Doles remains essentially unchanged, for example staying in contact with his old associate Billy Roper, a neo-Nazi who praised the September 11, 2001 attackers for “kill[ing] Jews.” Doles has recently circulated white power material on his VKontakte social media, including shares from the racist Holocaust denialism site “National Justice” as well as the National Alliance’s website.
The September 12 fundraiser for the Sheriff’s Department features musical act “The Wild Knights,” whose bassist Sean Keena goes back two decades with Doles. Keena praises white supremacist leader David Duke and insists that all of Europe should have sided with the Nazis.
Killing of #AhmaudArbery thrust spotlight on racism in #Georgia + now @afainatl exposes how local @GaRepublicans including elected official @MatthewGurtler, has been meeting + organizing with "American Patriot USA," run by violent neo-Nazi, Chester Doles. https://t.co/NM0X55D2VE pic.twitter.com/pbhd0p0cYn
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) May 13, 2020
American Patriots USA has called for a large attendance by police at their September 12 event, stating that they and their families will eat and drink for free.
By remaining silent about the upcoming event, Sheriff Jarrard is facilitating alliances between law enforcement and the far-Right. APUSA already suggests that the lawman is an ally. Earlier this year, APUSA stated that Sheriff Jarrard had donated funds to its organization through a raffle.
Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrad @LumpkinCountySO is refusing to disavow a fundraiser for his Office by notorious white power leader Chester Doles.
Doles explicitly links the fundraising to the Sheriff's Office cracking down on political enemies ("local domestic terrorist"). https://t.co/kPMureXMAB pic.twitter.com/94TfKImoRJ
— Atlanta Antifascists (@afainatl) September 4, 2020
Sheriff Stacy Jarrard must clarify that he does not support the far-Right gathering, does not encourage police to attend, and will not take a cent of the proceeds. Anything less emboldens white supremacists and the far-Right, places his own community in danger, and furthers the perception of a tacit alliance between cops and Nazi-sympathizing far-Right extremists.