Vanguard America is an American white supremacist, neo-Nazi, neo-fascist organization. The organization is also a member of the Nationalist Front.[1][2] The group gained significant attention after it was revealed that James Alex Fields had marched with them at the Unite the Right rally before being arrested on murder charges.[3][4] The group has its roots in the alt-right movement.[5]
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| Abbreviation | VA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2015 |
| Founder | Dillon Hopper (also known as Dillon Irizarry) |
| Type | Neo-Nazism Neo-fascism White supremacism White nationalism |
| Purpose | Promoting neo-Nazism/fascism and a white supremacist version of American nationalism |
| Location |
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| Members | 200+ (2017) |
| Affiliations |
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| Website | https://vanguardam.us/ |
History
editVanguard America was founded in 2015, in California. The group was founded and is run by Dillon Hopper. In 2017, Hopper claimed membership of 200+ members. Hopper, a Marine Corps veteran who had served in Afghanistan, also claimed that "many" members were veterans but active duty service members were barred from affiliating with the group until their contract had ended for their "safety".[6][note 1] Hopper also states that local branches exist in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. In July 2017, it also created a women's division.[1][2]
The group had a presence in the Unite the Right rally in August 2017. James Alex Fields, who was later responsible for killing a counter protester and injuring 19 others in a vehicle-ramming attack, was seen marching with the group. The leadership later disavowed him, stating that he was not a member of the group.[1][3][4] The group took part in the "White Lives Matter" rally in October 2017.[7]
The group supports the Nazi concept of blood and soil.[8] The group has put up racist and anti-Semitic flyers in various towns.[9] On December 18, 2017, its account was suspended by Twitter.[10]
Vanguard America has produced two competing splinter groups, the more popular Patriot Front, founded in August 2017, and the National Socialist Legion, founded in January 2018.[2][11]
See also
editReferences
editInformational notes
- ^ Possibly due to the US military's screening procedures meant to prevent recruitment of those affiliated with gangs or extremist groups.
Citations
- ^ a b c "Alleged Charlottesville Driver Who Killed One Rallied With Alt-Right Vanguard America Group". Southern Poverty Law Center. August 13, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Vanguard America". Anti-Defamation League. July 18, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ a b Terence, Cullen (August 13, 2017). "Vanguard America has increasingly become a neo-Nazi voice". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Moyer, Justin William; Beyer, Lindsey (August 15, 2017). "Vanguard America, a white supremacist group, denies Charlottesville ramming suspect was a member". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 17, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Zoeann; Larimer, Sarah; Siegel, Rachel; Chason, Rachel (August 18, 2017). Walker, Victoria M. (ed.). "Deconstructing the symbols and slogans spotted in Charlottesville". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Snow, Shawn (September 4, 2019). "The neo-Nazi boot: Inside one Marine's descent into extremism". Marine Corps Times. ISSN 1522-0869. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ Buncombe, Andrew (October 28, 2017). "Neo-Nazis at Tennessee rallies drowned out by hundreds of counter-protesters". The Independent. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Swaine, Jon; Beckett, Lois (August 14, 2017). "Leader of neo-Nazi group linked to Charlottesville attack was a US marine". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Hochron, Adam (October 24, 2017). "Racist posters found on Rutgers campus and bus". New Jersey 101.5. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Luckerson, Victor (December 18, 2017). "Twitter Cracks Down on Hate-Mongerers". The Ringer. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ "National Socialist Legion". Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
External links
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Media related to Vanguard America at Wikimedia Commons
