On Feb. 7, a Uhaul van full of neo-Nazis gathered in the predominantly Black Cincinnati suburb of Lincoln Heights. They wore masks and carried guns as they called residents racist slurs. The group of white supremacists also waved flags with red swastikas on a highway overpass.
Two weeks after that disturbing incident, someone—presumably another white supremacist—spread racist pamphlets from the Ku Klux Klan all over Lincoln Heights. Disappointed by local law enforcement officials who didn’t spring into action to protect them, Black residents have now taken things into their own hands.
The Washington Post reported that Black men are carrying rifles to guard the roads that lead directly into Lincoln Heights, questioning anyone trying to enter the suburb. Ohio is an open-carry state and folks are taking advantage of that, according to Lincoln Heights Safety and Watch Program spokesperson Daronce Daniels.
“An American individual protecting his homeland with a firearm — I thought that was the most American thing that we [could] do,” Daniels explained to the outlet. The watch program coordinates who serves as guards for Lincoln Heights, which boasts a modest population of 3,000 people.
In 2014, the suburb’s police department disbanded (the area is now served by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office). Following the Feb. 7 demonstration, residents—alongside Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece—questioned why police made no arrests or citations after the neo-Nazis intimidated residents and threatened racist violence.
Evendale police also released body-camera footage showing officers being cordial with the masked group. Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey ultimately called the white supremacists “cowards” during a news conference and said that officers would investigate further.
Lincoln Heights Safety and Watch Program organizes around 70 guards who patrol the streets. Currently, the Hamilton County prosecuting attorney’s office is reviewing the neo-Nazi rally to determine if criminal charges will be made.