Hundreds of masked men carrying banners, including the Confederate flag, marched through Washington DC on the Fourth of July, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
The group appeared to be led by Thomas Rousseau, who founded the white supremacist organization Patriot Front. Members wore white masks and gathered in front of DC’s Union Station before marching toward Capitol Hill, according to The Guardian.
During the Saturday demonstration, members chanted “Life, liberty, victory!” and “Reclaim America!”, according to video shared on social media. Masked members were seen riding the DC Metro while other passengers looked on with unease.
Counter-protesters and police respond to the demonstration
The gathering drew some counter-protesters. In one video, a man used a bullhorn to shout at Patriot Front members: “Every single one of you justifies the f—–g right to abortion.” In a statement given to Politico about Saturday’s march, DC’s Metropolitan Police Department said it was “tracking first amendment activities that occurred this morning in the Eastern Market neighborhood.”
The department added: “MPD recognizes the rights of individuals to peacefully express their views and remains committed to maintaining public safety and security for DC residents and visitors.” The department’s statement referenced First Amendment rights and public safety.
Patriot Front members were last seen marching over Memorial Day weekend at the Virginia Beach oceanfront, according to local news outlet 13News Now. The group was founded in 2017, shortly after the deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Since then, the group has become more visible, as people connected to white supremacist organizations have found wider acceptance under the Trump administration.
In 2022, an expert on extremist groups told the Guardian that Patriot Front’s fundraising and mobilizing methods were similar to those of a media production company. Morgan Moon, an investigative researcher with the ADL Center on Extremism, said: “No other white supremacist group operating in the US today is able to match Patriot Front’s ability to produce media, ability to mobilize across the country and ability to finance. That’s what makes them a particular concern.”
More recently, Patriot Front’s leader claimed to have taken part in relief efforts following deadly flooding in central Texas last year. Saturday’s march took place as Trump gave a partisan speech condemning what he called a “communist menace” in America, marking the start of celebrations for the country’s 250th birthday.
The White House did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on whether Trump condemns the latest march. The march coincided with other major July 4th events in the capital, including a record-breaking fireworks show for Trump.
Published: Jul 5, 2026 09:45 am