A hate-fueled demonstration in Columbus, Ohio, by the St. Louis-based white supremacist group known as the Hate Club, has drawn condemnation from the White House, along with city, state and Jewish community leaders. The group, carrying Nazi flags, marched through downtown Columbus on Saturday chanting racial slurs and white supremacist slogans.
St. Louisans may recognize the same masks and flags from an Oct. 5 incident on an overpass in Town and Country. About a dozen masked men dressed in black, carrying swastika-emblazoned flags, displayed banners over Highway 40, sending a disturbing message of hate to drivers below.
On the right, image taken Oct. 5 in Town & Country, Mo.
During the Ohio rally on Nov. 16, some members were armed and one reportedly used pepper spray on spectators, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Police detained several individuals at the scene following reports of a physical altercation but later stated, “An assault did not take place and all of the individuals were released.” Officers told the Columbus Jewish News that altercations “broke out, stopped and then broke out again.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine condemned the demonstration, posting on social media: “Neo-Nazis — their faces hidden behind red masks — roamed the streets in Columbus today, carrying Nazi flags and spewing vile and racist speech against people of color and Jews. There were reports that they were also espousing white power sentiments. There is no place in this state for hate, bigotry, antisemitism or violence and we must denounce it wherever we see it.”
St. Louis bridge incident and Ohio rally
The Hate Club traces its origins to an early October demonstration on an overpass in Town and Country. Jordan Kadosh of the Anti-Defamation League described it as the group’s unofficial debut. “They showed up on the bridge in St. Louis, and the next day, they formally founded their group,” Kadosh said.
A month later, on Nov. 16, the same St. Louis-based group resurfaced in Columbus. Marching through the Short North Arts District, they chanted racial slurs, promoted white nationalist slogans and brandished Nazi flags.
Kadosh confirmed the link: “The demonstrators in Columbus were members of the Hate Club, founded in St. Louis. The leader, Anthony Altick, organized both events, illustrating the coordinated nature of their actions.”
Linking the demonstrations
The presence of Altick serves as a critical link between the two incidents.
“Altick, who resides in St. Louis, was present at both the St. Louis bridge protest and the Columbus rally,” Kadosh said. “He has been associated with activities from Blood Tribe, Order of the Black Sun and participates in Goyim Defense League events.”
Altick’s extremist record extends beyond these demonstrations. Last year, he was arrested in Orlando, Fla. for hanging antisemitic banners along the Daryl Carter Parkway Bridge, violating Florida law. His violent past includes a 2015 shooting at his St. Louis Hills apartment. Initially charged with first-degree murder and assault for killing Darryl T. Simms and injuring two others, Altick later pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to two years in jail. At the time, he was on probation for burglary and theft offenses.
Calls for community action
As communities grapple with rising extremism, Kadosh emphasized the need for strong public condemnation. “It’s reasonable to ask people to denounce this and say it’s not welcome in our community,” he said. “This is about as hardcore as it gets. These are people who are openly white supremacists, and while we know who the leader is, many members remain masked, hiding behind anonymity.”
National Jewish organizations, including the ADL and the American Jewish Committee, condemned the march. AJC regional director Lee Shapiro called it “another sad example of the bigotry we have witnessed across the country.” The Columbus Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council also spoke out, telling the Columbus Jewish News they were “disgusted by the reprehensible display of hate.”
