On Saturday, Oct. 5, a group of about a dozen masked men gathered on an overpass in Town and Country, displaying Nazi symbols. Dressed in black and carrying flags emblazoned with swastikas and other white supremacist imagery, they held banners over Highway 40, sending a disturbing message of hate to the drivers passing below.
Disturbing scene unfolds
The group’s flags featured racist slogans such as “America is for the White Man,” alongside skull imagery and symbols tied to neo-Nazi ideologies. Many drivers and residents quickly called law enforcement and posted on social media, sharing photos of the men and voicing their concerns.
One of the witnesses, Shelley Hoffman Dean, live-streamed her brief encounter with the group. “I don’t even know what to say,” she told the Jewish Light after speaking with them. Despite her efforts to engage in dialogue, the group remained steadfast in their belief, claiming they were simply trying to “normalize national socialism.”
Why the masks?
During her conversation with the men, Dean asked why they were wearing masks despite openly promoting their hateful ideology. One of the men explained that they feared being recognized and losing their jobs.
“We have families to support,” he said, adding that being publicly tied to the group’s activities could cost them their livelihoods. “We can’t afford to be ‘canceled’ for what we believe in.”
Dean pointed out the irony in their fear of job loss while spreading hate and intolerance, responding, “You’re promoting division and hatred, but you’re afraid of facing consequences for it?”
The men didn’t respond directly, instead doubling down on their rhetoric, insisting they were exercising their right to free speech.
Hate-fueled conversations
During the encounter, one of the group’s members engaged in Holocaust denial, a recurring theme among white nationalist groups.
“There’s proof that the gas thing didn’t happen,” one of the men told Dean.
Dean tried to offer a different perspective, saying, “I only have love in my heart for all people.” But the men quickly rejected her sentiment, doubling down on their white supremacist ideology and promoting conspiracy theories about Jewish control of the media.
Fliers and propaganda
Adding to the unsettling display, the group handed out fliers to passing motorists. One flier falsely claimed that Jewish corporations control most of the media, listing well-known CEOs with Jewish backgrounds and promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories. Another flier was filled with racist rhetoric, headlined “Black Savages Murder White Children,” featuring inflammatory accounts of crimes involving Black suspects and white victims.
The fliers referenced the Goyim Defense League (GDL), an extremist group known for spreading hate-filled propaganda across the country. Their website, mentioned during the encounter with Dean, is flagged by security systems for containing harmful content.
Law enforcement response
Scott Biondo, the community security director at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, has been closely monitoring the situation.
“The Town and Country Police Department was inundated with calls,” Biondo said. “Clearly, a lot of the residents were uncomfortable with the location they picked.”
Although the group’s actions were disturbing, Biondo explained that law enforcement was limited in its response.
“There is no ordinance or statute that prohibits a group from peacefully remaining on the sidewalk on an overpass… as long as they are not creating a public safety incident.”
ADL’s role
Jordan Kadosh, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Heartland, emphasized the importance of public reporting and investigation when dealing with hate groups like this.
“People reported. That’s good. We want people to come to the organized community and report what they know. It will continue to be investigated.”
According to the ADL, the Goyim Defense League is a known group of “virulent antisemites.”
Law enforcement and the ADL remain vigilant, encouraging residents to continue reporting suspicious activities.
“We encourage our community: if you see something, say something,” Biondo emphasized. “Our law enforcement partners are excellent in assisting us when these types of things happen.”
