Latest news with #PatriotFront
Miami Herald
16-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Company Bans White Supremacists From Renting Trucks
Penske Truck Rental said on Sunday that it had banned members of the white nationalist hate group Patriot Front from renting its vehicles. The company's decision comes after videos on social media showed masked members of Patriot Front fleeing in one of the company's yellow trucks after being confronted by a group of people in downtown Springfield, Missouri, on Saturday. Newsweek has contacted Penske and the Springfield Police Department for further comment via email. Patriot Front frequently relies on rented trucks to transport members to demonstrations in cities across the country. Penske's response is the first public rebuke by a major company against the group and the decision could affect its ability to rent trucks in the future. The group's protests and public appearances are "typically tightly choreographed and scripted to maximize propaganda value," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Patriot Front said in videos and posts on social media that its members were in downtown Springfield to protest Ozarks Pridefest, which is held annually in the city. But video of the incident shared by Patriot Front on Telegram and others on social media showed several members-dressed in khaki pants and carrying shields-climbing into the Penske truck after being confronted by a group of people angered by their presence. "Run, cowards, run," a man can be heard yelling in one video of the incident, which captured the license plate number and Department of Transportation number of the truck. "Do something, you f***** pathetic Nazis," another man is heard saying. In a statement, Penske said the incident was "unacceptable" and that the actions had violated its rental agreement. Penske said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Penske Truck rental is aware of an incident involving one of its vehicles yesterday in Springfield, Missouri. This incident is unacceptable. We strongly condemn these individuals and their actions, which violate out rental agreement. Effective immediately, the individual(s) on the rental agreement are banned from future rentals." Patriot Front has not public commented on the ban, but said in a post on Telegram on Saturday: "Deranged and violent homosexual aggressors attempt to silence the lawful speech of the patriotic activists, and target individual members for assault. However, disciplined conduct on the part of the activists and the intervention of other bystanders renders the attacks useless. All are able to depart safely and without incident." Penske's decision could put pressure on other rental companies to review their policies about allowing Patriot Front and other extremist groups to rent trucks, which could affect their ability to organize. Related Articles Kansas, Oklahoma Face Severe Flooding, Drivers Warned of Drowning RiskTornado Warning Issued in Missouri, Millions Told To Seek Immediate ShelterTornado Warning in Effect, Millions in Missouri Urged to Seek Shelter NowAbortion Appointments Suddenly Canceled After Missouri Court Ruling 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Company Bans White Supremacists From Renting Trucks
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Penske Truck Rental said on Sunday that it had banned members of the white nationalist hate group Patriot Front from renting its vehicles. The company's decision comes after videos on social media showed masked members of Patriot Front fleeing in one of the company's yellow trucks after being confronted by a group of people in downtown Springfield, Missouri, on Saturday. Newsweek has contacted Penske and the Springfield Police Department for further comment via email. Why It Matters Patriot Front frequently relies on rented trucks to transport members to demonstrations in cities across the country. Penske's response is the first public rebuke by a major company against the group and the decision could affect its ability to rent trucks in the future. The group's protests and public appearances are "typically tightly choreographed and scripted to maximize propaganda value," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front participate in the 2025 March for Life in Washington D.C. on January 24, 2025. Members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front participate in the 2025 March for Life in Washington D.C. on January 24, 2025. Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Patriot Front said in videos and posts on social media that its members were in downtown Springfield to protest Ozarks Pridefest, which is held annually in the city. But video of the incident shared by Patriot Front on Telegram and others on social media showed several members—dressed in khaki pants and carrying shields—climbing into the Penske truck after being confronted by a group of people angered by their presence. "Run, cowards, run," a man can be heard yelling in one video of the incident, which captured the license plate number and Department of Transportation number of the truck. "Do something, you f***** pathetic Nazis," another man is heard saying. In a statement, Penske said the incident was "unacceptable" and that the actions had violated its rental agreement. What People Are Saying Penske said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Penske Truck rental is aware of an incident involving one of its vehicles yesterday in Springfield, Missouri. This incident is unacceptable. We strongly condemn these individuals and their actions, which violate out rental agreement. Effective immediately, the individual(s) on the rental agreement are banned from future rentals." Patriot Front has not public commented on the ban, but said in a post on Telegram on Saturday: "Deranged and violent homosexual aggressors attempt to silence the lawful speech of the patriotic activists, and target individual members for assault. However, disciplined conduct on the part of the activists and the intervention of other bystanders renders the attacks useless. All are able to depart safely and without incident." What's Next Penske's decision could put pressure on other rental companies to review their policies about allowing Patriot Front and other extremist groups to rent trucks, which could affect their ability to organize.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Left-wing extremism hides behind a mask of social justice
The antisemitic attacks in Boulder, Colorado, and Washington, D.C., alongside the recent white nationalist demonstration in Kansas City, expose a disquieting asymmetry in how society recognizes and condemns extremist ideology. Right-wing extremism is broadly denounced across the political spectrum because its ideological foundations — religious chauvinism, racial superiority and ethnic purity — are widely discredited. Left-wing extremism, by contrast, often evades similar scrutiny. It cloaks itself in language of human rights and resistance, appealing to noble ideals that render it more difficult to recognize and, in some circles, more morally palatable. Its actors are too often cast not as zealots, but as freedom fighters. Right-wing extremism, as embodied by the Patriot Front's demonstration in Kansas City, is roundly rejected by both liberal and conservative audiences. Its roots — white supremacy, racial nationalism and nostalgia for exclusionary hierarchies — are regressive and unmistakable. A forward-looking liberal democracy cannot embrace an ideology that seeks to resurrect a past defined by inequality and domination. Calls for racial or religious superiority no longer enjoy intellectual or moral legitimacy. Left-wing extremism, as reflected in antisemitic violence committed under the banner of Palestinian solidarity, presents a more complicated threat. It wraps itself in language of human dignity, equality and social justice. Its intellectual lineage traces to critical theories of power, identity and liberation — frameworks that, while offering legitimate critiques of systemic inequality, can be distorted to justify ideological rigidity or even violence in pursuit of a perceived moral end. This dynamic is not new. Throughout history, movements advance their most intolerant ambitions by appealing to the highest available moral frameworks. The Crusades were justified through religion and salvation. Nineteenth-century colonialism appealed to racial and civilizational supremacy. Today, extremist rhetoric cloaks itself in the language of human rights and liberation. This evolution makes modern left-wing extremism harder to identify and condemn because it strategically exploits the moral vocabulary of a liberal society. Its adherents are too often seen as defenders of justice, not agents of harm. The recent attacks in Colorado and Washington, D.C., underscore this danger. In both cases, the perpetrators invoked pro-Palestinian slogans while targeting Jewish victims. These were not acts of political expression — they were acts of antisemitic violence. Yet, as with certain reactions to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israelis, these assaults risk being distorted or rationalized because they are framed as resistance on behalf of the oppressed rather than aggression against an insular minority. Civil society condemns right-wing extremism swiftly and unequivocally, in part because its ideological claims are crude and easily discredited. Their lack of moral complexity makes the danger obvious. We do not see the same speed or clarity when confronting left-wing extremism, not because its moral failures are less severe, but because its arguments are more nuanced, couched in values liberal democracies hold dear. That nuance can obscure the hate lurking beneath the rhetoric. Hate, regardless of its ideological origin, begets hate. Just as the state has a duty to protect even offensive speech, civil society has a corresponding duty to reject hate in all its forms. Patriot Front's conspiracy-laden speech about Zionists controlling the U.S. government is no less toxic than far-left rhetoric opposing Zionism in geopolitical discourse when that rhetoric denies Jews the right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland. Cloaking such intolerance in the language of justice or human rights does not make it less dangerous — it makes it more insidious. A tolerant society, paradoxically, cannot tolerate intolerance — no matter its ideological mask. Failing to confront left-wing extremism with the same moral clarity applied to the far right risks allowing a small, intolerant fringe cloaked in virtue to escape scrutiny and crowd out the tolerant majority. If we are to preserve an open and pluralistic society, we must apply consistent scrutiny to all forms of extremism. That requires moral clarity, intellectual honesty and a refusal to excuse hate simply because it wears the garb of justice. Right-wing religious or racial extremism may be more visible and less persuasive in today's public square, but left-wing extremism — when masked by appeals to justice and liberation — presents a different and increasingly potent threat. If left unexamined, it risks corroding the very democratic values it claims to defend. We must resist the temptation to view extremism as the exclusive province of one side. True tolerance demands principled consistency. It demands that we reject all forms of extremism — whether they march in plain sight or operate behind a veil of moral virtue. Harrison M. Rosenthal is a media lawyer and commercial litigator. He previously served as a staff attorney at the nonpartisan Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. He holds four degrees from the University of Kansas, including a PhD in First Amendment theory. His dissertation examines the sociolegal consequences of expressive hate and political intolerance.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KC police response to Patriot Front was fair and just
The recent invasion of our fair city by outside Patriot Front demonstrators — I will not call them protesters because they have no logical reason to protest — was handled correctly by our police force. (June 2, 1A, 'Community unites after KC white nationalist protest') These people stayed on the sidewalks, kept out of the streets, didn't break anything, didn't throw things at the police and didn't shout obscenities at the police or other people. It sounds as if a reasonably behaved group did its thing, however illogical it may seem to normal people, and then left us in peace. The response of the police was restrained and appropriate. The days of 'Bull' Connor and his tactics are long gone, thank God. Peaceful protest is a constitutional right for everybody. - Dick Davenport, Lee's Summit I have always admired former Sen. John Danforth, even though I lean Democratic. While I totally agree with his recent Star guest commentary, 'We must stand up against the bully in the Oval Office' (May 29, 11A), his words would have more impact if he delivered them to his fellow Republicans currently in office. Right now there is a dearth of leadership in this regard on both sides of the aisle. Perhaps we need to revisit where courageous leadership might start. Rereading Ecclesiasticus 4:25 onward, it counsels, 'Do not contradict the truth,' and 'Do not show partiality to a man of influence,' which seems to be the trend. I'm just saying: Don't ask the little guy to start what seems to be withheld by your compatriots. - Marilyn Schaeffer, Kansas City Former U.S. Russian Ambassador Michael McFaul recently posted on X: 'The Trump team spends more time fretting about NATO expansion to the east than they do about Russian imperial expansion to the west. Bizarre.' Bizarre is a good way to describe it, and so is predictable. Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would end the Ukraine war in 24 hours. He has also spread the lie and Russian talking point that Ukraine started the war when all of Europe knows damn well Putin started it. Trump's response to any criticism of his policy is that the war never 'would never have happened' if he'd been president, as if his presence as leader of the free world would leave Russia and China shaking in their boots. Vladimir Putin continues to string along Trump and Ukraine while he bombs Ukrainian cities and kills civilians. Russia has never attacked a NATO country, and excluding Ukraine (a country fighting the war NATO was designed for) from NATO membership only does the Kremlin's work. No other post-World War II U.S. president would have sold out a country like Ukraine fighting against a totalitarian Russia under the same circumstances. - Mike McCaffree, Nevada, Missouri As a grandmother and retired nurse, I prioritize health and safety. Recently, we upgraded our Mission condo with heat-pump systems for heating, cooling and hot water. These upgrades have made our home more comfortable and safer — especially now that our finished basement includes a bedroom. Removing gas appliances gives our family peace of mind about indoor air quality and carbon monoxide leaks. We're also considering installing rooftop solar to reduce our reliance on Evergy, which wants to raise rates to build expensive new infrastructure. We'd rather keep more of our money in our pockets — and in our community — than send it to an investor-owned utility. Home upgrades are more possible because of the 25C and 25D federal tax credits. We're counting on them, just like many of our neighbors and local businesses. These credits make high-efficiency technology accessible to more families, not just the wealthy. But Congress is considering eliminating both credits at the end of 2025. Sens. Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran should reject that plan and protect the 25C and 25D tax credits. Kansans are counting on them. - Ruth Rosell, Mission We all want our children to be healthy and well educated. This gives them the tools to be financially independent, hold good jobs and contribute to the good of our neighbors. Healthy, educated children make the United States an even better place to live. Dictators want the opposite. They like their people dumb, sick and poor because it makes it easier for them to rule and enrich themselves. They don't care about our neighbors' children, the kids at church or our own. Cutting Medicaid and research funding to universities makes us sick, destroys good education and lowers the chances of finding cures to make us healthy again. Let's all go out and find good candidates who will make our nation's children healthy, happy and smart. Offer to help your candidates with their campaigns. Make the country a better place to live with your actions and your votes. - Ellen Wentz, Kirkwood, Missouri
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hundreds gathered in KC to denounce last weekend's white nationalist march
Hundreds of people gathered near the Plaza Saturday evening protesting against masked white nationalists who held a rally outside the WWI Museum and Memorial last weekend. 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, Nazi scum have got to go,' they chanted. The protesters met at 5 p.m. at Mill Creek Park and walked about two miles through Westport, down Southwest Trafficway and back through the Plaza, according to Ed Hererra, who protested at the event. This comes after scores of white nationalists called the Patriot Front, 'an avowedly fascist nationwide organization' met in Kansas City on Saturday, May 24. They covered their faces and chanted, 'Life, liberty, victory' and 'Reclaim America.' Some of them carried shields and other flags, including confederate and upside down American flags. The group formed in the aftermath of the deadly 'Unite the Right' march in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, according to the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. Sgt. Philip DiMartino of the Kansas City Police Department said Saturday's protest lasted about three hours and it dispersed peacefully.
