About two dozen neo-Nazis rallied in Augusta on Saturday afternoon.
The approximately 25 neo-Nazis rallied about 3:24 p.m. near Capitol and State streets, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Moss described the rally as “peaceful,” noting no state or city property was damaged.
In a video shared on the social media platform Telegram, black-clad neo-Nazis, many of whom wore coverings hiding their faces, yelled at passing vehicles occupied by people of color, throwing Nazi salutes and shouting “refugees go home” and “sieg heil,” a German phrase commonly used at Nazi rallies.
Other images shared on Telegram were captioned, “A car full of African Refugees being notified that they aren’t welcome in New England” and “Keep New England White.”
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The rally appeared to include members of the group NSC-131, according to images and videos shared on Telegram. That group, also known as the Nationalist Social Club, has several small chapters across New England. Its members espouse racism and see themselves as foot soldiers against a purported plot to extinguish white people, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
NSC-131 also was involved in an April 1 rally at Portland’s Monument Square that then moved to City Hall, where neo-Nazis have been accused of assaulting counter-demonstrators. The police response to that rally drew a large protest days later, and Portland police have been tight-lipped about their response, citing the potential for criminal charges.
The recent spate of neo-Nazi activity in Maine comes as antisemitism rises in the state and across the country, which saw the most antisemitic acts since the ADL began tracking them in 1979, according to the Maine Monitor.
Correction: An earlier version of this report misstated what the initials of the neo-Nazi group NSC-131 stood for.


