40 Facts About Patriot Front

Origins and Founding of Patriot Front

Patriot Front emerged from the chaos following the infamous "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. This group has a controversial history and a troubling ideology.

1. 01Patriot Front was founded by Thomas Ryan Rousseau after he took control of Vanguard America. Rousseau's takeover was facilitated by his banishment of Dillon Hopper from Vanguard America's online servers and website.
2. 02The group splintered from Vanguard America due to a leadership dispute between Rousseau and Hopper, leading to the creation of a new organization with a similar but distinct ideology.

Ideology and Beliefs

Patriot Front's ideology is deeply rooted in white nationalism and ethnonationalism. They believe in preserving what they see as the true American identity.

3. 03Patriot Front's ideology is rooted in white nationalism and ethnonationalism. The organization believes that White American culture and heritage are under threat from multiple angles and are facing complete annihilation if no action is taken.
4. 04The group presupposes that American identity is under threat and must be protected, fearing that America’s white ethnocultural identity is being erased and replaced by migration.
5. 05Their manifesto explicitly states that membership to the American nation is inherited through blood, emphasizing the movement’s ethnonationalist understanding of identity. This approach is reminiscent of the ‘Blood and Soil’ slogan of Nazi Germany.
6. 06Patriot Front perceives a corrupt government as a primary cause for the nation’s destruction. They seek to achieve a ‘hard reset’ of American society to restore the perceived traditions and virtues of the post-revolutionary US.
7. 07The organization packages its white supremacist ideology in the concepts of ‘life’, ‘liberty’, and ‘victory’. These notions are displayed on the movement’s logo and reflect its goals of defending American heritage, restoring revolutionary spirit, and achieving victory in a sovereign society.

Public Messaging and Internal Ideology

While Patriot Front tries to present a sanitized image to the public, their internal communications reveal a much darker agenda.

8. 08To the outside world, Patriot Front presents itself as a protector of American culture and heritage without openly attacking marginalized groups. However, hateful components of its ideology are not prominently propagated in public messaging.
9. 09Investigative journalists have exposed the movement’s true agenda through leaked internal communications. These documents reveal that members embrace a range of antisemitic, racist, and bigoted beliefs.

Activities and Demonstrations

Patriot Front is known for its visible presence through various activities and demonstrations across the United States.

10. 10Patriot Front frequently participates in localized “flash demonstrations”, making them one of the United States’ most visible white supremacist groups.
11. 11The organization engages in on-the-ground activities such as leaving propaganda fliers at Black churches, stickering propaganda at an LGBTQ+ community center, and vandalizing statues and murals memorializing Black Americans killed by police.
12. 12Since 2019, Patriot Front has been responsible for the vast majority of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States. This includes fliers, posters, stickers, banners, and internet-based materials.
13. 13Patriot Front frequently uses anti-immigrant rhetoric in their propaganda and at events. Slogans like “Protect Our Border” or “Deport Them All” are commonly used to emphasize their stance against immigration.
14. 14On April 6, 2024, approximately a dozen Patriot Front members held a demonstration outside the San Ysidro Port of Entry, one of the largest land border crossings in the United States. During the demonstration, one of the members gave a speech stating, “We are here today to recognize and draw attention to the invasion of this country and the displacement of its true-born inheritors.”

Views on Abortion and Family

Patriot Front has strong views on abortion, which they see as a threat to the white American family.

15. 15Patriot Front views abortion as a “plutocratic scheme” by the U.S. government aimed at depriving Americans of their lives because the dead may not revolt. The organization believes that those destroying the American family can only have the intent of destroying the American people.
16. 16The group sees abortion as a threat to the protection of white American children, whom they believe are of pan-European descent. The organization views the “American people” as those of pan-European descent whose ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them alone.

Use of Symbols and Propaganda

Symbols play a significant role in Patriot Front's identity and propaganda efforts.

17. 17Patriot Front often uses symbols like the Betsy Ross flag – an early design of the American flag – to represent a time when the U.S. was ruled by white men. Their logo features an image of a fasces (a bundle of sticks with an axe and the original symbol of fascism), encircled by 13 stars, which they consider a symbol of America’s “revolutionary tradition.”
18. 18Leaked internal communications from 2022 show that members embrace a range of antisemitic, racist, and bigoted beliefs. These documents reveal how Nazism, racism, antisemitism, and misogyny are widely shared ideological traits among members of the movement.

Participation in Anti-Abortion Events

Patriot Front often appears at anti-abortion events to spread their propaganda and recruit new members.

19. 19Patriot Front regularly appears at anti-abortion events across the United States. The group has attended various pro-life events, including March for Life rallies in Chicago and Washington, D.C., since 2018. During these events, members carry Patriot Front banners and flags and hand out promotional material and propaganda.

Manifesto and Xenophobic Platform

The group's manifesto and platform reveal their exclusionary views on identity and their perception of threats to American culture.

20. 20Excerpts from Patriot Front’s manifesto include statements like: “The time of the Republic has passed in America as the system grows too weak to perform its duty.”
21. 21Another excerpt states: “The American Identity was something uniquely forged in the struggle that our ancestors waged to survive in this new continent.”
22. 22Their manifesto also includes: “An African, for example, may have lived, worked, and even been classed as a citizen in America for centuries, yet he is not American. He is, as he likely prefers to be labelled, an African in America.”
23. 23The manifesto highlights their perception of an existential threat: “America our nation stands before an existential threat. The lives of your children, and your children’s children, and your prosperity beyond that, dangle above a den of vipers.”
24. 24Patriot Front frequently inveighs against “replacement populations”, meaning any non-white resident, immigrant, or refugee, as a direct threat to its mission. Its manifesto accuses these often-vulnerable communities as a threat to so-called pan-European culture.

Street Activism and Legal Actions

Patriot Front's street activism and legal troubles have brought them into the public eye.

25. 25Roughly a dozen members of PF turned this xenophobic platform into street activism at a San Antonio, Texas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on July 28, 2018. PF members marched up to an “Occupy ICE” protest encampment chanting “Strong nations, strong borders” before filming themselves vandalizing the protesters’ tents and signs.
26. 26Thomas Rousseau, the leader of Patriot Front, is based in Texas. He has been involved in various extremist activities and has been at the forefront of promoting white supremacist ideologies.
27. 27In August 2023, a lawsuit was filed against Patriot Front and its members in the United States District Court in Boston. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants conspired to interfere with Murrell's civil rights.

Public Appearances and Symbolic Acts

Patriot Front's public appearances and symbolic acts are designed to draw attention to their cause and intimidate marginalized groups.

28. 28Patriot Front often makes public appearances at anti-abortion events and pro-life rallies. This strategy allows them to spread their propaganda and recruit new members under the guise of protecting American values.
29. 29During demonstrations, Patriot Front members frequently fly the American flag upside down to convey their belief that the nation is in distress because it no longer represents them. This symbolic act underscores their perception of a corrupt government and their desire for a hard reset.
30. 30Patriot Front has been involved in various acts of vandalism and propaganda distribution. They have targeted Black churches, LGBTQ+ community centers, and statues memorializing Black Americans killed by police with their hateful materials.

Internal Communications and Impact on Communities

Leaked internal communications and the group's impact on communities reveal the true nature of Patriot Front.

31. 31Leaked internal communications reveal deep-seated racist and antisemitic beliefs among members. These documents provide insight into how the organization operates internally and how it disseminates its ideology.
32. 32Patriot Front’s activities have a significant impact on local communities. Their presence at anti-abortion events and pro-life rallies can intimidate marginalized groups and create a hostile environment.

Designation as a Hate Group

Patriot Front's extremist nature has led to its designation as a hate group by several organizations.

33. 33Patriot Front is designated as a hate group by organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). This designation highlights the organization's extremist nature and its commitment to white supremacist ideologies.
34. 34Patriot Front is described as an image-obsessed organization that rehabilitates the explicitly fascist agenda of Vanguard America with garish patriotism. This approach makes their propaganda more visually appealing and easier to distribute.

Flash Demonstrations and Anti-Immigration Rhetoric

Patriot Front's flash demonstrations and anti-immigration rhetoric are key components of their strategy.

35. 35Patriot Front frequently participates in localized “flash demonstrations”, which are short-term protests designed to draw attention to their cause. These demonstrations often involve chanting slogans like “Strong nations, strong borders.”
36. 36During demonstrations and events, Patriot Front members use anti-immigration rhetoric to emphasize their stance against immigration. This rhetoric includes slogans like “Protect Our Border” or “Deport Them All.”

Abortion as a Threat and Pan-European Identity

Patriot Front views abortion as a threat to the white American family and defines itself as a pan-European organization.

37. 37Patriot Front views abortion as a threat to the protection of white American children. They believe that those destroying the American family can only have the intent of destroying the American people.
38. 38Patriot Front defines itself as an organization of “American nationalists”, justifying its hate and intolerance under the guise of preserving America’s identity as a “Pan-European nation.” This definition excludes people of color from its conception of pan-European identity.

Replacement Populations and Street Activism

Patriot Front's views on replacement populations and their street activism reveal their xenophobic platform.

39. 39The organization frequently inveighs against “replacement populations”, meaning any non-white resident, immigrant, or refugee, as a direct threat to its mission. Its manifesto accuses these often-vulnerable communities as a threat to so-called pan-European culture.
40. 40Roughly a dozen members of PF turned this xenophobic platform into street activism at a San Antonio, Texas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on July 28, 2018. PF members marched up to an “Occupy ICE” protest encampment chanting “Strong nations, strong borders” before filming themselves vandalizing the protesters’ tents and signs.

Understanding Patriot Front's Impact

Patriot Front is a white supremacist group that emerged after the 2017 Charlottesville rally. Founded by Thomas Ryan Rousseau, it split from Vanguard America. The group's ideology revolves around white nationalism and ethnonationalism, believing that American identity is inherited through blood. They see immigration and a corrupt government as threats to American culture.

Patriot Front is known for flash demonstrations, propaganda distribution, and vandalism. They often target Black churches, LGBTQ+ centers, and memorials for Black Americans killed by police. Their public messaging hides their true agenda, but leaked communications reveal deep-seated antisemitic and racist beliefs.

The group frequently appears at anti-abortion events, using these platforms to spread their ideology. Designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Patriot Front's activities have a significant impact on marginalized communities, creating a hostile environment and spreading fear.