Goshen, IN: Rally Responds to Alt-Right and Proud Boy Activity

Report back on recent antifascist activity in Goshen, Indiana in response to Alt-Right outreach and organizing.

In April there was a dramatic increase in recruiting by alt-right hate groups in Goshen, Indiana, the American Identity Movement (AmIM), formerly known as Identity Evropa, and the Proud Boys. The Proud Boys were out recruiting on the courthouse lawn twice, and asked City Officials if they could table at a monthly block party. We found Proud Boys flyers in people’s yards and IE stickers and posters on sign posts in Goshen and the neighboring city of Elkhart. We removed them and replaced them with our own.

This lead to us hosting a “No Place for Hate” rally in Goshen. Five speakers spoke on their fields of interest. First, the host of ‘There is no Godcast’ podcast spoke on religious persecution and loving regardless of religious beliefs. Then, the Founder of Operation TreeHouse, spoke of the current homeless situation in Goshen and about loving the homeless and those who suffer from addictions. Finally, calling out the hate groups (Proud Boys, AmIM), directly was one speaker, who stated that the Maple City General Defense Committee (GDC), would not let them spread their hate in their hometown.

People in #Goshen #Indiana making fast work of neo-Nazi Identity Evropa/American Identity Movement garbage – and putting up their own stuff in its place! pic.twitter.com/ndLvG14OES

— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) July 10, 2019

For the safety of other speakers, we had our own security available and reminded press not to photograph or name them.