WLM_NEW_YORK - white supremacists
Hate Has No Home Here gathering in Chatham - January 19, 2022
Reverend Kim Singletary says the demonstration today was an effort to “educate and uplift” the community through conversation about America’s history in terms of race. “Until we have that conversation and deal with those wounds, so that we can heal, we’ll be doing this in another generation,” the reverend explains, “I don’t want to see this in another generation. I want to leave for our children a generational legacy that we have healed the wounds of the past; that we are going forward as humans and Americans in unity.” - News 10
"I'm reaching out to open ears and open hearts," Singletary stated, "It's an energy and a force that has to be defeated by love. It has to be defeated by understanding that we are one humanity."- NewsChannel 13
The primary goal of the rally, according to organizer Michael Richardson, is to fill a void. "It's important that we don't have silence," Richardson asserts, "Where you have silence, there is a void and the void will be filled with hate speech. So we need to counter that and talk about inclusion, diversity, and unity.” - NewsChannel 13
WLM_NEW_YORK first encounters - December 2021 & January 2022
First were the stickers found in late December on park benches, parking meters, utility poles and road signs in Hudson and Stockport… then, at the first of the year, a video of a “meet-up” in North Greenbush… then, on January 14, a group holding a white supremacist banner at the gazebo in the Village of Chatham.
PATRIOT FRONT
Patriot Front blitz in Columbia County - July & August 2021
TIMES UNION - Stickers promoting a white supremacist group called Patriot Front were found in various public areas in Hudson Tuesday, just four days after stickers from the group were also discovered in Germantown in southern Columbia County. The discoveries follow at least four other incidents of Patriot Front stickers being found in the county since May.
EDITORIAL: Hate speech spoken here - February 25, 2021
THE COLUMBIA PAPER - What Hate-Watch Report says it needs now is for us to bear witness. The group asks that we not avert our eyes when the threat of hate is embraced as the route to power and fear is used as the tool to maintain it. Become vigilant. Remain involved. - Parry Teasdale, Editor
Patriot Front graffiti in Warwick - January 20, 2021
TIMES HAROLD RECORD - Town police are investigating the spray-painting of a white supremacist group's website and slogan on a utility box in downtown Warwick last weekend.
Excerpt: Photos posted on Facebook before public works employees painted over the graffiti show that the words "PATRIOT FRONT.US" and "LIFE LIBERTY VICTORY" and an emblem for the group were painted multiple times in blue and red on the metal box.
OATH KEEPERS
Oath Keepers gather in Ghent - January 29, 2013
THE COLUMBIA PAPER - The Hudson Valley Oath Keepers held the group’s first opening meeting at the Whitestone Café Tuesday, January 22, 2013 with over 25 full and associated members in attendance.
Excerpt: The organization’s future plans include talking to and educating emergency service people, police officials, and sheriffs about upholding their oath “to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God.” The group also wants to ensure that current and future legislators as well as other elected officials in the county do the same.
Faso speaks to Oath Keepers - June 14, 2016
Former Congressman John Faso of Kinderhook spoke at the New York Oath Keepers awards dinner in Albany.
The event was organized by Chatham resident, the late John Wallace (a retired State Trooper, a Birther and Bircher, and at that time, Chair of the Chatham Republican Committee and President of New York Oath Keepers).
Also present was Stewart Rhodes, founder of Oath Keepers. The Leadership Award went to former Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke... an active member of the Constitutional Sheriff movement.
PATRIOT MILITIA GROUPS
Southern Poverty Law Center identified 566 "extreme anti-government" groups that were active in the United States in 2020… six are in the Upper Hudson Valley:
Oath Keepers - Columbia County & Albany County;
Madison’s Militia - New Lebanon (Columbia County);
National Liberty Alliance - Hyde Park (Dutchess County);
New York Militia™ - Albany County;
Three Percenters - Statewide;
Patriot Front - Statewide
New England Minutemen in Troy - June 7, 2020
ALBANY TIMES UNION - Averill Park man who was seen with seven other men in military-style body armor and bullet proof vests making their way through the June 7th Troy Rally for Black Lives was arraigned on 19 weapons counts including two assault-style AR-15 rifles with live ammunition and thousands of rounds of ammunition in his truck.
Excerpt: Some of the men, three of whom were from out-of-state, were carrying loaded firearms, two-way radios and batons, officials said. Inside the vehicles loaded firearms, ammunition, a gas mask and fireworks were also recovered.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Gun Waving in Kinderhook - July 17, 2020
ALBANY TIMES UNION - Charges will not be filed against a Village of Kinderhook couple who waved a gun at a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally walking past their home on July 11, 2020.
Excerpt: ...a couple came out of their Rothermel Lane home and yelled obscenities at the protesters. The man then told the woman to get his gun... she then returned with the gun and waved it at the group.
Back the Blue Rally in Kinderhook - June 18, 2020
The Back the Blue rally was organized by Kinderhook resident and business owner Alex Rosenstrach.
The Black Lives Matter counter-rally was spontaneously organized by social justice activists throughout the region.
A couple weeks after the rally, Alex Rosenstrach and Kelly Rosenstrach - a Columbia County Deputy Sheriff - would be involved in a violent physical assault on Harold Handy at a Fourth of July party at their home. They have both been indicted by a Grand Jury... the criminal trial is still pending.