Vanguard America
 | |
| Abbreviation | VA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2015 |
| Type | Neo-Nazism Neo-fascism White supremacism White nationalism |
| Purpose | Promoting neo-Nazism/fascism and a white supremacist version of American nationalism |
| Location |
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| Members | 200+ (2017) |
Key people | Dillon Irizarry Thomas Rousseau |
| Affiliations |
|
| Website | vanguardam.us |
| Part of a series on |
| Neo-fascism |
|---|
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 Politics portal |
Vanguard America is an American white supremacist, neo-Nazi, neo-fascist organization. The organization is also a member of the Nationalist Front.[1][2] The group gained significant attention after it was revealed that James Alex Fields had marched with them at the Unite the Right rally before being arrested on murder charges.[3][4] The group has its roots in the alt-right movement.[5]
History
Vanguard America (VA) had no national presence or coverage until in 2016 when Dillon Irizarry gave a speech at a neo-Nazi gathering in Pikeville, Kentucky stating he was the leader of the group, and that they had 200 members in 20 states.[6] Irizarry would go on to say that VA was founded in 2015 in California and that he wasn't the founder of the group, rather he took over leadership.[6] Irizarry, who legally changed his name in 2006 to Dillon Hopper, is a Marine Corps veteran who had served in Afghanistan, also claimed that "many" members were veterans but active duty service members were barred from affiliating with the group until their contract had ended for their "safety".[7][note 1] Hopper also states that local branches exist in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. In July 2017, it also created a women's division.[1][2]
In June of 2017 the group held a "Texas is Ours" rally in Austin, Texas and during the event the leader of the Texan branch, Thomas Rousseau, gave a lengthy speech and largely sidelined VA's leader Dillon Hopper. After the rally Hopper began to engage in a public feud with Rousseau, accusing him of attempting to portray himself as the leader of VA.[8]
The group had a presence in the Unite the Right rally in August 2017 led by Thomas Rousseau with Hopper entirely absent. James Alex Fields, who was later responsible for killing a counter protester and injuring 19 others in a vehicle-ramming attack, was seen marching with the group and carrying a shield displaying a symbol associated with Vanguard America.[9] The leadership later disavowed him, stating that he was not a member of the group.[1][3][4] The group took part in the "White Lives Matter" rally in October 2017.[10] On December 18, 2017, its account was suspended by Twitter.[11]
After the rally, as Hopper was largely dealing with the fallout of Fields' action, Rousseau and his Texas branch of the VA split in August to form Patriot Front. As Patriot Front siphoned off most of the VA's more moderate Neo-Fascists, the remaining Neo-Nazis within the VA again started a feud with Hopper, with the remains of the Texas, as well as the Tennessee branch, splitting in January 2018 to form the National Socialist Legion. Since then, the Anti-Defamation League has stated that VA "has shown very few signs of life."[8]
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Views
The group supports the Nazi concept of blood and soil.[6]
The group is best known for its racist and anti-Semitic flyers they put up in various towns.[12] This strategy would be carried over by Patriot Front.
See also
References
Informational notes
- ^ Possibly due to the US military's screening procedures meant to prevent recruitment of those affiliated with gangs or extremist groups.
Citations
- ^ a b c "Alleged Charlottesville Driver Who Killed One Rallied With Alt-Right Vanguard America Group". Southern Poverty Law Center. August 13, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ a b "Vanguard America". Anti-Defamation League. July 18, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ a b Terence, Cullen (August 13, 2017). "Vanguard America has increasingly become a neo-Nazi voice". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Moyer, Justin William; Beyer, Lindsey (August 15, 2017). "Vanguard America, a white supremacist group, denies Charlottesville ramming suspect was a member". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 17, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Zoeann; Larimer, Sarah; Siegel, Rachel; Chason, Rachel (August 18, 2017). Walker, Victoria M. (ed.). "Deconstructing the symbols and slogans spotted in Charlottesville". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c Swaine, Jon; Beckett, Lois (August 14, 2017). "Leader of neo-Nazi group linked to Charlottesville attack was a US marine". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Snow, Shawn (September 4, 2019). "The neo-Nazi boot: Inside one Marine's descent into extremism". Marine Corps Times. ISSN 1522-0869. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ a b "Vanguard America". Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
- ^ Barrouquere, Brett. "Neo-Nazi sympathizer James Alex Fields Jr., faces jury over deadly actions, decision at 'Unite the Right'". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
- ^ Buncombe, Andrew (October 28, 2017). "Neo-Nazis at Tennessee rallies drowned out by hundreds of counter-protesters". The Independent. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Luckerson, Victor (December 18, 2017). "Twitter Cracks Down on Hate-Mongerers". The Ringer. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Hochron, Adam (October 24, 2017). "Racist posters found on Rutgers campus and bus". New Jersey 101.5. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
External links
Media related to Vanguard America at Wikimedia Commons
