Protestors counter National Socialists

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Paul Wedding / Staff Writer

Students from UNT’s International Socialist Organization and Anonymous North Texas went 50 miles southeast of Denton to protest the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi organization staging a protest against illegal immigration Saturday in Rockwall.

Gathered in front of the monolithic Rockwall courthouse, members were met with droves of counter-protesters around 3 p.m. The counter-protesters also included included groups such as The New Black Panthers and Open Carry Texas.

The Texas Knights, a Ku Klux Klan organization, had a rally protesting immigration in Nacogdoches the same day.

ISO branch organizer Mario Ovalle said the National Socialist Movement was everything his organization stood against.

“Their nationalism is pure hatred and racism,” he said. “Nazism originates from fascism, the opposite of Marxism. Some of the first people killed by Nazis were Communists and Socialists.”

The white supremacists were blockaded behind lines of policemen and yellow tape. Many wore black uniforms and brandished shields bearing swastikas. They were all wearing the trademark red sleeve of the 1930s Nazi party.

Members of the North Texas branch of the International Socialist Organization wave flags long after the National Socialists left the rally. They joined Anonymous North Texas and activists from Open Carry Texas in counter-protest outside of the Rockwall Courthouse on Saturday.

Audience members shouted over the National Socialists’ criticism. Many brought signs with sayings such as “down with racism.” One sign featured an illustration of Adolf Hitler shooting himself in the head with a revolver with the words “Follow your leader” written over it.

“There was constant shouting,” Rockwall resident Tanner Nix said. “They only got one word in edgewise.”

The protests lasted until about 4 p.m. when the National Socialists retreated with a wave of protesters attempting to follow, who were subsequently apprehended by police. No arrests were made during or after the event.

It was a legal protest, as no permits are required to hold protests in Rockwall, said Lt. Greg Welch with Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office.

Ovalle disagreed with the National Socialists’ approach to getting rid of illegal immigration.

“Some people simply don’t have the proper documents or have a lack of economic opportunity in their own countries,” he said. “[The NSM’s] approach is to kick out everybody.”

There is a difference between National Socialism and socialism in workers’ rights, Ovalle said. National Socialism is very opposed to workers’ rights, which goes directly against the beliefs of the ISO.

Open Carry Texas member Tanner Nix expresses his disapproval of the National Socialists.

Despite the intense opposition, National Socialist Movement Commander Jeff Schoep said the movement is stronger than ever in the U.S.

“A lot of Americans are sick and tired of the same old lies and trash coming from the Republicans and Democrats and support national socialism and our efforts against illegal immigration,” Schoep said. “Even people who did not like or support us 10 years ago are coming around now, because there is no other viable alternative. The masses are radicalizing and we are just fine with that.”

The NSM was founded in 1974 after the decline of the American Nazi Party. It claims to be the largest and most active National Socialist organization in the United States. Schoep took command of the organization in 1994 when he was only 21 years old. It currently has its own record label, NSM88 Records and owns the white supremacist social networking site New Saxon.

The NSM ideology is that only straight “pure-blood whites” should be allowed U.S. citizenship. As Schoep said, “The Constitution was written by white men alone. Therefore, it was intended for whites alone.”

Featured Image: Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office forms a barrier at the National Socialist Organization’s rally against illegal immigration at the Rockwall County Courthouse on Saturday. While a heated counter-protest took place, no arrests were made. Photos by Byron Thompson – Senior Staff Photographer

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