26-05-2025
White nationalist hate group rallies in Kansas City Memorial Day weekend
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Members of the Patriot Front rallied at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City on Saturday.
Pictures show the group with masks on, carrying various flags and shields. Some had turned the United States flag upside down, others carried the Betsy Ross flag from the 1700's and a few members carried the Confederate battle flag.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights non-profit organization, says that Patriot Front is a 'white nationalist hate group'. It continues to say that the group split from Vanguard America, one of the groups involved in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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The National WWI Museum issued the following statement on Sunday:
The National WWI Museum and Memorial is aware of yesterday's gathering on the public grounds surrounding our institution. We respect First Amendment protections for peaceful assembly and free speech and want to be unequivocally clear that the views expressed by this group do not represent or align with our values. We stand firmly against hatred, bigotry and divisiveness in all forms.
Our grounds include public park space where various groups may gather, but such use should never be interpreted as our endorsement of any particular viewpoint. The Museum and Memorial remains committed to serving as a place of learning, reflection and unity for all visitors
This Memorial Day, as we do every day, we honor the lives of those who died in defense of liberty and freedom. This Memorial, a beacon for democracy, reminds us all of core values that seek to unite us and create a just and lasting peace for all nations.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on Facebook on Saturday, saying, 'While the First Amendment provides the right to bring any message to Kansas City, we know that our diversity, our welcoming community, and our respect for the rights of all reject whatever hate and cowardice come our way.'
It's unclear why the group chose Kansas City for their demonstration. We reached out to The Kansas City Police Department for more information, and to ask if they had advance knowledge of the event, they did not return our request for comment in time for this story.
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