Neo-Nazi Demonstration In Evendale Highlights Wider Issue Of White Supremacist Activity Seen Within Tri-State Area

Neo-Nazi demonstration in Evendale highlights wider issue of white supremacist activity seen within Tri-State area

The appearance of a group of people carrying Nazi symbols and signs bearing white supremacist language in Evendale is refocusing attention on an issue that has reared its head within Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana recently.While it is still not known who the group is or where they came from, a near-identical demonstration was seen in Columbus in November when a group of people marched through the city carrying banners that also had white supremacist language and symbols. Like the demonstration in Columbus, the group in Evendale was also seen wearing all-black clothing and carrying red swastika banners imposed on a black background. While the two demonstrations share many key similarities to one another, it is not known for sure if the same people who organized the demonstration in Evendale are the same people who organized in Columbus.Regional leaders throughout Cincinnati have since rushed to condemn the display of hate.”Messages of hate like this have no place in our region,” said Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval on Friday. “It was shocking and disgusting to see swastikas displayed in Evendale today. This is not what we stand for, and it will never be what we stand for.”The village of Lincoln Heights, a historically Black community where the overpass is located next to, also released a statement, writing, “Racism is ugly, and it was on display yesterday. This kind of activity has no place in Lincoln Heights or anywhere else. We are proud of the restraint our community showed in response to this demonstration. The incident remains under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Evendale Police Department.”The neo-Nazi group’s demonstration has certainly not been the lone incident of hate seen throughout the region within the past few months. In fact, one of the chapters of one of the United States’ oldest and most notorious white supremacist groups continues to actively operate just 30 miles south of Cincinnati.According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, The Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which are based in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, is one of the most active chapters of the modern KKK that exists today. This is due to the fact that more so than any other chapter of the modern KKK, the Dry Ridge group is known for its aggressive recruitment efforts through flier distributions that bear white supremacist language.It is not known exactly how many people make up the Dry Ridge chapter. The Anti-Defamation League estimates no single chapter of the KKK within the United States has any more than 100 active members, but also says that actual figures are likely closer to less than 25 people for any given chapter. Still, their actions are having outsized impact on the region, with repeated news stories making their way around the region every few months about new flier drops the group has conducted throughout Tri-State neighborhoods in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.Then there was what was perhaps one of the most famous news stories of the past year that is now alleged to have white supremacist ties by officials within Ohio. Memorably over the summer, the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio became the focus of national vitriol after then-candidate for president Donald Trump demonized them in social media posts and on the debate stage against Kamala Harris. Now, the city of Springfield alleges that the Blood Tribe, a neo-Nazi group, were behind the incitements of many of the bomb threats and original rumors against Haitians seen within the city.The city’s complaint alleges that the Blood Tribe first coordinated a “hit” against the city, casting the influx of Haitians as an “invasion” that was threatening Springfield’s “good White residents.”“Members of the Blood Tribe heeded the call,” the complaint said. “Over the next few months, the Blood Tribe and its members and associates unleashed a torrent of hateful conduct, including acts of harassment, bomb threats, and death threats, against Springfield residents who spoke out in support of the Haitian community.”In another hate crime from July that made national headlines, 176 graves were vandalized at Covedale Cemeteries in Green Township, a Jewish cemetery. Some of the gravestones within the cemetery date back to the 1800s. Months later, no suspects in the incident have been caught.These types of incidents come at the same time that hate crimes have also sharply risen nationwide over the past 10 years, hitting a record high in 2023, according to FBI data. Information for 2024 and 2025 has not yet been released by the FBI.Some groups, such as the Cincinnati NAACP, blame signals that they say some people have received from the new Trump administration regarding acceptable actions and language around race, both in the president’s words and actions. In a post condemning the protests in Evendale on Friday, the Cincinnati NAACP laid responsibility directly at the foot of Trump.”We will hold strong in our commitment to the unity and respect for people of all ethnicities, religion, gender, age and sexual orientation,” read a statement about the demonstration from David Whitehead, the president of the Cincinnati NAACP. “It is well known that people receive messages and actions in different manners. The current executive orders and actions have angered many and emboldened others. This is not normal and should not be accepted as such. We are stronger together and we are calling on all to unify against this behavior.”Since taking office, President Donald Trump has repeatedly lambasted the idea of the government and private businesses valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (abbreviated DEI). The president has banned the government through executive order from promoting DEI in any form, and even went so far as to blame a plane crash in Washington, D.C., last month on DEI without any evidence. Similarly, the president has also taken a very firm stance on deporting all illegal immigrants, almost all of whom are non-white, even going so far as to direct the federal government to set up a camp in Guantanamo Bay to house them.Regardless, all local groups who spoke out against the incident said that taking the temperature down and showing more care around topics of race, religion, and identity is needed to combat rising issues of hatred. Similarly, the groups also urged everyone to speak out and condemn hate whenever it arises in the Cincinnati region against one’s neighbors.”We are deeply disturbed by the reprehensible display of hate witnessed today at the Vision Way overpass on 1-75, where individuals openly displayed Nazi symbols,” Danielle Minson, the president of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, wrote in a statement on Friday in response to the incident. “Such acts of antisemitism, racism, and bigotry are an affront to the values of inclusion, respect, and unity that define our community. Hate has no place in Cincinnati or anywhere in our society.”Minson continued, “We will not be intimidated. Our response to hate is to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening community bonds, advancing education, and advocating for a society free of antisemitism and all forms of hate and bigotry. We urge all citizens of Cincinnati to stand with us in rejecting hate and building a community where all people can live without fear or intimidation. We are grateful to our community partners, law enforcement, and local officials for their ongoing support. Together, we will continue to uphold our shared values of dignity, respect, and inclusion for all.”The Holloman Center for Social Justice, a group dedicated to improving relationships between police and communities of color within southwest Ohio, echoed that sentiment.”The Holloman Center for Social Justice stands firmly against racism, antisemitism, and all forms of extremism that seek to intimidate and divide us,” said the group. “We call upon all local leaders, business leaders, law enforcement and civil rights organizations to join us in rejecting hate in all forms and those that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities. Now is not the time for empty rhetoric and promises. The fight for a just society is not limited to responding to moments like this — it is about building sustained power, strengthening protections against extremism, and ensuring that vulnerable communities are safe, supported, and uplifted. We will not be silenced or deterred by these despicable acts, nor will we allow fear to undermine the progress our communities have fought for generations to achieve.”

While it is still not known who the group is or where they came from, a near-identical demonstration was seen in Columbus in November when a group of people marched through the city carrying banners that also had white supremacist language and symbols. Like the demonstration in Columbus, the group in Evendale was also seen wearing all-black clothing and carrying red swastika banners imposed on a black background.

While the two demonstrations share many key similarities to one another, it is not known for sure if the same people who organized the demonstration in Evendale are the same people who organized in Columbus.

Regional leaders throughout Cincinnati have since rushed to condemn the display of hate.

“Messages of hate like this have no place in our region,” said Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval on Friday. “It was shocking and disgusting to see swastikas displayed in Evendale today. This is not what we stand for, and it will never be what we stand for.”

The village of Lincoln Heights, a historically Black community where the overpass is located next to, also released a statement, writing, “Racism is ugly, and it was on display yesterday. This kind of activity has no place in Lincoln Heights or anywhere else. We are proud of the restraint our community showed in response to this demonstration. The incident remains under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Evendale Police Department.”

The neo-Nazi group’s demonstration has certainly not been the lone incident of hate seen throughout the region within the past few months. In fact, one of the chapters of one of the United States’ oldest and most notorious white supremacist groups continues to actively operate just 30 miles south of Cincinnati.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, The Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which are based in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, is one of the most active chapters of the modern KKK that exists today. This is due to the fact that more so than any other chapter of the modern KKK, the Dry Ridge group is known for its aggressive recruitment efforts through flier distributions that bear white supremacist language.

It is not known exactly how many people make up the Dry Ridge chapter. The Anti-Defamation League estimates no single chapter of the KKK within the United States has any more than 100 active members, but also says that actual figures are likely closer to less than 25 people for any given chapter. Still, their actions are having outsized impact on the region, with repeated news stories making their way around the region every few months about new flier drops the group has conducted throughout Tri-State neighborhoods in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.

Then there was what was perhaps one of the most famous news stories of the past year that is now alleged to have white supremacist ties by officials within Ohio. Memorably over the summer, the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio became the focus of national vitriol after then-candidate for president Donald Trump demonized them in social media posts and on the debate stage against Kamala Harris. Now, the city of Springfield alleges that the Blood Tribe, a neo-Nazi group, were behind the incitements of many of the bomb threats and original rumors against Haitians seen within the city.

The city’s complaint alleges that the Blood Tribe first coordinated a “hit” against the city, casting the influx of Haitians as an “invasion” that was threatening Springfield’s “good White residents.”

“Members of the Blood Tribe heeded the call,” the complaint said. “Over the next few months, the Blood Tribe and its members and associates unleashed a torrent of hateful conduct, including acts of harassment, bomb threats, and death threats, against Springfield residents who spoke out in support of the Haitian community.”

In another hate crime from July that made national headlines, 176 graves were vandalized at Covedale Cemeteries in Green Township, a Jewish cemetery. Some of the gravestones within the cemetery date back to the 1800s. Months later, no suspects in the incident have been caught.

These types of incidents come at the same time that hate crimes have also sharply risen nationwide over the past 10 years, hitting a record high in 2023, according to FBI data. Information for 2024 and 2025 has not yet been released by the FBI.

Some groups, such as the Cincinnati NAACP, blame signals that they say some people have received from the new Trump administration regarding acceptable actions and language around race, both in the president’s words and actions. In a post condemning the protests in Evendale on Friday, the Cincinnati NAACP laid responsibility directly at the foot of Trump.

“We will hold strong in our commitment to the unity and respect for people of all ethnicities, religion, gender, age and sexual orientation,” read a statement about the demonstration from David Whitehead, the president of the Cincinnati NAACP. “It is well known that people receive messages and actions in different manners. The current executive orders and actions have angered many and emboldened others. This is not normal and should not be accepted as such. We are stronger together and we are calling on all to unify against this behavior.”

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has repeatedly lambasted the idea of the government and private businesses valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts (abbreviated DEI). The president has banned the government through executive order from promoting DEI in any form, and even went so far as to blame a plane crash in Washington, D.C., last month on DEI without any evidence. Similarly, the president has also taken a very firm stance on deporting all illegal immigrants, almost all of whom are non-white, even going so far as to direct the federal government to set up a camp in Guantanamo Bay to house them.

Regardless, all local groups who spoke out against the incident said that taking the temperature down and showing more care around topics of race, religion, and identity is needed to combat rising issues of hatred. Similarly, the groups also urged everyone to speak out and condemn hate whenever it arises in the Cincinnati region against one’s neighbors.

“We are deeply disturbed by the reprehensible display of hate witnessed today at the Vision Way overpass on 1-75, where individuals openly displayed Nazi symbols,” Danielle Minson, the president of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, wrote in a statement on Friday in response to the incident. “Such acts of antisemitism, racism, and bigotry are an affront to the values of inclusion, respect, and unity that define our community. Hate has no place in Cincinnati or anywhere in our society.”

Minson continued, “We will not be intimidated. Our response to hate is to reaffirm our commitment to strengthening community bonds, advancing education, and advocating for a society free of antisemitism and all forms of hate and bigotry. We urge all citizens of Cincinnati to stand with us in rejecting hate and building a community where all people can live without fear or intimidation. We are grateful to our community partners, law enforcement, and local officials for their ongoing support. Together, we will continue to uphold our shared values of dignity, respect, and inclusion for all.”

The Holloman Center for Social Justice, a group dedicated to improving relationships between police and communities of color within southwest Ohio, echoed that sentiment.

“The Holloman Center for Social Justice stands firmly against racism, antisemitism, and all forms of extremism that seek to intimidate and divide us,” said the group. “We call upon all local leaders, business leaders, law enforcement and civil rights organizations to join us in rejecting hate in all forms and those that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities. Now is not the time for empty rhetoric and promises. The fight for a just society is not limited to responding to moments like this — it is about building sustained power, strengthening protections against extremism, and ensuring that vulnerable communities are safe, supported, and uplifted. We will not be silenced or deterred by these despicable acts, nor will we allow fear to undermine the progress our communities have fought for generations to achieve.”

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