Black Ohio Town Takes Up Arms Against Neo-Nazi Threat

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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Ohio Town Armed Watches Confront White Supremacy

Lincoln Heights, Ohio, unveiled its citizen-led Safety and Watch Program in March 2025. Nearly 70 Black residents began patrolling vulnerable neighborhoods after a neo-Nazi highway rally shook their community. Masked volunteers now guard the town’s southern entrance armed with firearms under Ohio’s open-carry laws. The program balances community protection with legal risks as conflict escalates.

The group’s mobilization reflects generational patterns of systemic abandonment. Lincoln Heights lost its police department in 2014 due to chronic underfunding (Black Enterprise). It now relies on Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies patrolling an eight-square-mile area. Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey warned against vigilante justice but residents argue government solutions remain inadequate.

Ohio’s Open Carry Laws Spark Safety Dilemma

Watch members interpret firearm regulations as empowering citizens unable to trust police protection. State statutes allow open carry for residents 21+ without special permits, creating legal ambiguity. Bystanders report feeling intimidated by armed patrols despite Members insisting they operate within boundaries.

Local business owners describe complex reactions. Jim Meister’s landscaping company faced confrontation when guards allegedly pointed rifles at workers. Others welcome the patrols as necessary while awaiting law enforcement reforms. The Sheriff’s office pushes for dialogue but patrol leaders claim officials overlook immediate dangers.

Ohio Neo-Nazi Threats Face Community Resistance

Bodycam footage revealed deputies chatting with neo-Nazis during the February rally rather than arresting them. One officer asked for group contact info “to notify organizers about future events,” drawing widespread criticism. Hamilton County prosecutors now carry evidence for potential charges, though no arrests have occurred (The Independent).

Tensions escalated when watch members intercepted a man distributing Ku Klux Klan pamphlets. Deputies issued a $150 littering citation despite his racist motives. For many, this emblemized authorities’ refusal to protect vulnerable communities. A protest sign outside the town hall summarizes the bitterness: “First they ignore us then they police us”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.