Nick Fuentes and America First Vowing to Destroy the GOP
On December 12, 2020, a series of pro-Trump rallies occurred in Washington, DC, some of which were attended by white supremacists and extremists. One of the events was a prayer rally named the "Jericho March," where participants called for a Trump victory and the defeat of what they claimed to be corrupt and fraudulent election practices. Though mainstream speakers like Michael Flynn and Michael Lindell were present, the rally also featured speeches by anti-government conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the right-wing extremist group Oath Keepers. QAnon and Three Percenter flags and signage were visible at the event.
In his speech, Rhodes called on President Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act to help him remain in power. He added that if Trump didn't take such action, groups like the Oath Keepers would have to fight a "much more desperate [and] much more bloody war" to ensure that outcome. Meanwhile, Jones warned the crowd about "globalists," shouting that "Joe Biden is a globalist, and Joe Biden will be removed, one way or another!" The term "globalist" has been linked to anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Following the Jericho March, some attendees marched to the U.S. Supreme Court building led by Alex Jones, Owen Shroyer, and Ali Alexander, among others. Jones and his followers attempted to enter a rally already underway but were denied access by security. Angry, Jones, Shroyer, and Alexander delivered a brief speech on the sidewalk while marchers chanted various slogans.
Elsewhere, alt-right personality Nick Fuentes held his own "Stop the Steal" rally with a crowd that included white supremacist Vincent James and other extremists. Fuentes criticized the GOP for not supporting Trump and called for the party's destruction, leading the crowd in chants of "Destroy the GOP."
Throughout the day and night, violence broke out between right-wing extremists, including Proud Boys and Three Percenters, and counter-protesters, including Antifa and Black Lives Matter supporters. Several of these incidents were caught on video, including a disturbing attack by Proud Boys and Three Percenters on a lone individual. Law enforcement officers attempting to restore order were also injured, and at least four people were stabbed, including a police officer. 24 people were arrested for riot-related offenses.
