Violence Breaks Out Between Neo-Nazis and Opponents in California

By Sameer Rao Jun 27, 2016

A Neo-Nazi rally at the California State Capitol in Sacramento yesterday (June 26) ended in physical confrontations that left at least five people with stab wounds.

 

The above tweets from ABC10 reporter Frances Wang captured the clash’s gruesome aftermath. According to the Los Angeles Times, members of the Traditionalist Worker Party (TWP) and Golden State Skinheads—both identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as White supremacist hate groups—planned a rally on the Capitol grounds at noon yesterday. Law enforcement officials confirm that the TWP secured a permit for the rally. When they arrived, the White nationalists encountered hundreds of counterprotesters. One activist told the Times that violence began immediately.

Both ABC10 and the Southern Poverty Law Center reported at least five people with stab wounds, while the Times reported seven. Media outlets did not report the affiliations of the injured parties, although one counterprotester told the Times that they recognized somone from their group with stab wounds.

Antifa Sacramento, a local anti-fascist organization involved with the counterprotest, pledged support to those injured in the confrontations while denouncing the original rally:

 

The Traditionalist Worker Party says it will not be deterred. "We stood our ground. We will be back," party chairman Matthew Heimbach told the Times.