A neo-Nazi group displayed a Nazi flag on the steps of South Dakota’s state capitol building as the group of extremists attempted to hold a rally on Saturday.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem condemned the rally, which was held just two days after the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
“Today, Nazis attempted to rally at the SD Capitol without a permit and were escorted away by Highway Patrol officers. Nazis are not welcome here in South Dakota.” she wrote on her personal X account.
“We stand on the shoulders of generations of Americans who have fought for the Freedom of all — here and abroad. We stand for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We reject all hatred and Nazis. Full stop.”
Christopher Pohlhaus, leader of Blood Tribe, claimed his members were responsible for unfurling the swastika flag and that it was in response to Noem’s online comments about the rally.
“We occupied your steps for the entire time we intended to be there, then slowly swaggered off to chant an entire lap around your house,” Pohlhaus wrote on X.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the Blood Tribe is a neo-Nazi group whose goal “is to normalize the swastika, usher in a resurgence of Nazi ideas and ultimately build a white ethnostate occupied, controlled and led by ‘Aryans.’”
The group has reportedly held rallies across the country since March 2023, with members masked and dressed in red and black,who perform Hitler salutes and “white power” chants.
Videos and photos posted on social media show a group of people wearing red shirts, black pants and black masks in front of the entrance of the capitol. Three of the individuals were holding up the Nazi flag.
State Auditor Rich Sattgast posted on social media that he confronted the group in Pierre.
“As a veteran, and the son of a WWII veteran, and the grandson of one of the first to enter Dachau, I in no way will apologize for my language towards this hateful group of scum,” Sattgast wrote on Facebook. “They have their right of speech, but we must exercise ours as well. ‘First they came…’”
Department of Public Safety spokesperson Brad Reiners confirmed to The Argus Leader the rally took place, but they did not have a permit to organize it.
He did not say which group was responsible, but said they immediately complied when South Dakota Highway Patrol officers told them to leave. No charges have been filed, Reiners said.
Another group of people wearing similar attire were rallying in downtown Deadwood later that same day.
State House Majority Leader Will Mortenson, who lives in Fort Pierre, a city adjacent to the state capitol, also commented on the rally, according to The Argus Leader.
“I don’t know what rock they crawled out from under, but they aren’t welcome here,” he said. “Time to move along.”
A statement provided by the NAACP said the “infiltration of Nazis into our public spaces is not just an isolated incident but a glaring indication of a larger, more systemic issue of rising hate and intolerance.”
“This abhorrent display of hatred and bigotry is a direct threat to the values of equality, justice, and freedom that our society strives to uphold,”
“The presence of such individuals in a place meant to symbolize democracy and inclusion is unacceptable. We demand immediate answers and swift action to uncover how these individuals were able to infiltrate and freely display their hateful ideology on public grounds.”
