Springfield sues ‘Blood Tribe' members after summer of harassment, threats

Yahoo

11-02-2025

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) — The City of Springfield is suing what it calls a Neo-Nazi group, after months of reported harassment and intimidation.
The lawsuit claims the group's actions were fueled by 'ethnic and racial hatred,' specifically against Springfield's Haitian community.
Springfield files federal lawsuit against alleged Neo-Nazi group for campaign of 'threats and intimidation'
That population was first brought into the national spotlight during last year's presidential campaign, with unfounded claims against legal Haitian migrants leading to days of unrest and several bomb threats.
Attorneys for the city of Springfield filed a lawsuit against self-proclaimed Blood Tribe Founder Christopher Pohlhaus, the local leader Drake Berentz and seven other Blood Tribe members, listed as 'John Does.'
The suit describes the group as a 'white supremacist organization,' accused of more than 30 bomb threats and other forms of harassment during the summer of 2024.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the Blood Tribe is a growing Neo-Nazi group that claims to have chapters across the country. The group does not allow women to be members.
The Blood Tribe first held a public demonstration in Ohio when they protested a drag queen store hour in Wadsworth.
The 58-page lawsuit was filed in federal court in Dayton. It outlines several claims of harassment and intimidation by Blood Tribe leaders and members.
Now, Springfield is seeking damages.
Swastika-waving group chased off of I-75 by neighborhood
According to court documents, Blood Tribe members allegedly showed up in downtown Springfield during the Jazz and Blues Festival last August, waving swastika flags, pointing guns at attendees and shouting racial slurs.
This came after the founder of the group allegedly encouraged Blood Tribe members on social media to 'hit Springfield' due to the rapidly growing Haitian community in the city.
Later that month, the local Blood Tribe leader addressed the city at a commission meeting. One resident spoke out.
'He is a literal Nazi, he marched with swastikas,' the resident said during the meeting. 'Do not give him a platform.'
The leader allegedly threatened officials at the meeting and called for the city to stop letting immigrants in. Springfield Mayor Rob Rue asked police to escort the man from the building.
'In our guidelines, the moment you begin to sound threatening, that's when we say that's enough,' said Rue. 'That's not free speech, that's a threat.'
'You sound threatening to me,' said Rue during the meeting. 'If I could just ask the police to go ahead — you just sound threatening, if you could just go ahead and just peacefully be removed.'
The lawsuit claims that following this particular meeting, the Blood Tribe harassed supporters of the Haitian community, along with Rue. The suit accuses Blood Tribe members of sending suspicious packages resembling bombs to some plaintiffs.
The defendants are also accused of sharing personal information, sending hate-filled emails and voicemails and using dating apps to send men to the homes of Haitian community supporters late at night under false pretenses.
Rue shared a statement regarding the suit:
The city of Springfield will not stand idly by while hate groups like the Blood Tribe attempt to terrorize our residents and violate their civil rights. This lawsuit sends a clear message that hate, intimidation and violence have no place in our community.'
Rob Rue, Springfield mayor
Read the full lawsuit below:
SPRINGFIELD-V-BLOOD-TRIBEDownload
The lawsuit is demanding a jury trial on nine counts, including conspiracy to violate civil rights, menacing, inciting violence and ethnic intimidation. The city of Springfield has until May 7 to officially serve the Blood Tribe.
2 NEWS reached out to both sides of this lawsuit for a statement. We are waiting to hear back.
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