Ohio Residents Form Armed Patrols After Police Response to Neo-Nazis Draws Criticism
Masked, armed civilians are patrolling the streets of Lincoln Heights, Ohio, after a neo-Nazi demonstration earlier this month left residents on edge.
Tensions flared after video footage appeared to show local police shielding the white supremacist group from angry residents, sparking frustration within the community. In response, some locals took matters into their own hands, forming armed patrols—a move that has since led to multiple 911 calls and growing unease, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Jim Meister, a local business owner, told the paper he had a tense encounter with the armed group when he noticed a car parked in an abandoned lot next to his property. As he approached, three men allegedly exited the vehicle and confronted him. When he mentioned calling the police, one of the men reportedly responded, “We are the police,” before adding, “We’re protecting Lincoln Heights.”
The situation escalated when one of the masked men allegedly pointed a rifle at Meister, claiming the lot did not belong to him. When law enforcement arrived and confirmed Meister’s ownership of the property, he allowed the men to remain overnight, but they later set up a tent on the lot.
Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, whose deputies are assigned to the neighborhood, claimed she was unaware that armed civilians were stopping cars and emphasized that such behavior is not condoned.
“Nobody has addressed that with the sheriff’s office. If they do, we will certainly articulate what can and can’t be done in that area. We do not want to create neighborhood militias,” McGuffey stated. “We don’t want that because we understand that it leads back to the tactics of these Neo-Nazis. They want people to do that.”
At a recent town hall meeting, residents explained that they resorted to patrolling their own streets due to what they felt was an inadequate response to the neo-Nazi demonstration. However, their actions have now raised new concerns about vigilantism and escalating tensions in the community.
