The governor of Ohio and Columbus city officials have condemned a march by a group of armed, masked individuals who paraded through the city on Saturday.
Dressed in black and carrying flags adorned with swastikas, the group was spotted in the Short North neighborhood around 1 p.m., with images and videos of the march quickly spreading on social media.
While the group was detained, no arrests were made, and police found no evidence of an assault. Authorities noted that the individuals were armed with firearms.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed strong disapproval on social media, stating, “We will not tolerate hate in Ohio,” condemning the neo-Nazis for spreading racist and anti-Semitic messages. He emphasized that such hatred and bigotry have no place in the state.
The City of Columbus issued a statement affirming its commitment to tolerance and diversity, rejecting the hateful actions displayed by the marchers. Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein also condemned the protest, urging the demonstrators to leave and never return, declaring that their hate was unwelcome in the city.
This incident follows another protest last week in Howell, Michigan, where masked demonstrators waved Nazi flags outside a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank. No arrests were made in that case either.
