(VIDEO) LEIF ERICSON DAY CELEBRATION: BONEHEADS RETURN TO PHILADELPHIA – INTO THE LOVING ARMS OF ANTIFA

What, you thought that because we have been busy with all the Occupy efforts that we would not deal with the annual local BS that is the neo-Nazi “Leif Ericson Day Celebration”? Even the organizers of that farce knew better than that! While they were correct in thinking that folks from Occupy Philadelphia would boost the numbers of those that came out to oppose them, truth be told we have been steadly growing their numbers every year! It’s the boneheads that are diminishing! Only 16 – count them, 16 – boneheads came out to Boathouse Row this year, a far cry from when Volksfront and the Vinlanders would join Keystone State “Skinheads” at the Viking Statue to promote themselves and their fascist BS. All we have to say is that there is always next year – and we are betting that they will do this again next year. If you didn’t make it out, you might want to keep October 2012 free. We said last year that they had something to prove after their no-show. Now they really do after we routed them! In short, we will repeat DLJ Facebook status from Saturday: “Happy Leif Eriscon Day, KSSholes! See you again next year – because you’re just that stupid!”

One People’s Project

PHILADELPHIA, PA-A group of neo-Nazis were met by antifa Oct. 15 at the statue of Viking explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni as they attempted to hold for their “Leif Ericson Day Celebration” in what has become an annual ritual since 2007. One minor was arrested as both sides verbally sparred with each other for two hours.

Approxmately 16 neo-Nazis and white supremacists turned out for the annual event, down from two years ago when they were able to bring out over fifty from across the country to participate. However with twice that number, antifa had their largest number to date coming out to oppose them. Many came from the Occupy Philadelphia protest being held at nearby City Hall, some there even reportedly being told of the rally by officers showing them the flyer alerting Occupy Philadelphia of the event, the officers urging them not to go to any counter-demonstration. For the second year in a row, the Nazi organizers chose not to hold the event on Columbus Day Weekend, which was also the time an annual boat race took place. Last year, after the 2009 event showed the first opposition to the Nazis, boat race organizers built a barrer to the statue while the race was being held.

2009 was also the last time the Leif Ericson event organizers Keystone State “Skinheads” (KSS) were seen publicly until this year. According to sources, that group had since fallen apart, last year’s event being sponsored by the white supremacist political party American Third Position (A3P), but in recent months old members have been attempting to ressurect the name for future activities. On Sept. 17 those flying under the KSS banner organized a white power concert in Philadelphia, the only other public appearence of the KSS name in two years until the Leif Ericson event.

Although the neo-Nazis began to congregate in Fairmount Park at 11:30 in an area that overlooks the Viking Statue, Antifa began to gather at the statue itself around the same time. For over 90 minutes, the KSS organizers delayed the traditional march down Lemon Hill Drive to the statue, but some antifa decided to check on them instead of waiting, having a dialouge with them before they began their march. Two of them mockingly ended up leading them down the road to the statue, one of them,  African-American blogger Lester Whyte of Deep Green Philly, began ironically shouting “Whyte Power!” as they walked down.

The neo-Nazis were never able to come close to the statue while antifa were there. The main event organizer who uses the nom de guerre “Felix Bauriedel” could not be heard with the chants, shouting and loud arguments going on even with a vain attempt to use a megaphone. In addition to KSS, A3P was represented, namely by Steve Smith of Pittston, PA, a founding and stll current member of KSS who is known for embedding himself with mainstream political activities like the Scranton Tea Party and the Ron Paul campaign, and Ryan Wojtowicz of Ashley, PA. Longtime KSS associate Bryan P. Vanagatis brought his family to his event and his teenage son led the processional down, That son was also arrested and briefly detained during the rally for allegedly carrying a knife. Another KSS associate Joseph Phy, who was on house arrest on assault charges during the 2009 event, but who wife and child attended was  in attendence this year. Most of the police officers keeping the neo-Nazis and antifa seperate were black.

After almost a half hour, the neo-Nazis made their way back to Fairmount park with antifa following them to their original meeting place, where many of them parked their vehicles. For about 40 minutes, antifa blocked the road, so the neo-Nazis chose to continue the arguments that were started at the statue. At one point, Steve Smith even had his toddler son yell at antifa on the megaphone, which prompted disgusted antifa to admonish Smith for using his son in such a way.

Eventually, the neo-Nazis chose to drive out in the opposite direction. Some of those with Pennsylvania license plates, a state that does not issue a front plate, drove in reverse to prevent anyone from writing the numbers down.

HERE ARE THE PLATE NUMBERS WE SAW (all Pennsylvania):

HPA 4907 Silver Toyota Minivan
YZF 1057 Black Dodge Dakota Pickup (being driven by Ryan Wojtowicz)
HPH 7108
HTA 4090
A veteran KSShole from Harrisburg drove off in a green Jeep.