Identity Dixie Leaders Helped Plan Deadly Rally
Behind the shield of anonymity, members of a neo-Confederate hate group appeared to have emerged without consequences for their participation in a deadly Virginia rally. But that shield has vanished.
Last week Hatewatch exposed several leaders聽of that group, Identity Dixie (ID), who were instrumental in promoting and coordinating the Aug. 12, 2017, 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Hatewatch contacted Joseph Platania, Commonwealth鈥檚 Attorney for the City of Charlottesville, regarding Identity Dixie鈥檚 involvement in 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� and the disclosure of names of people who lead the group. Platania declined to answer specific questions and explained, 鈥淭he Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney鈥檚 Office does not comment on the existence or status of criminal investigations.鈥�
In addition to the continued criminal investigative work about the rally, a civil case, Sines v. Kessler et al, exists. The case, filed in late 2017, includes former Identity Dixie member Jason Kessler as a defendant.
Kessler belonged to the Proud Boys, a hate group comprising self-described聽鈥淲estern chauvinists,鈥� when he secured the permit to hold the 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� rally. He later joined Identity Dixie but left the group in 2018.
The organization and attorneys that represent plaintiffs in the Sines case also continue their investigation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 no surprise that many defendants in our suit are connected to this group 鈥� and it serves as one more horrifying example of how these violent extremists co-opted social media to recruit and plan for the bloodshed in Charlottesville,鈥� Amy Spitalnick said. She serves as the executive director for Integrity First for America, the organization that is funding the suit for the 11 plaintiffs. Spitalnick declined to provide additional information.
However, the Sines lawsuit describes defendants it lists as 鈥渢he individuals and organizations that conspired to plan, promote, and carry out the violent events in Charlottesville.鈥�
Hatewatch acquired and published the real names of Identity Dixie members and information that suggests they, too, planned participation in 鈥淯nite the Right.鈥�
Identity Dixie leaders Eric Field, Bret Lynn and Lucas Gordon operate Identity Dixie鈥檚 website, forum and podcast under the pseudonyms 鈥淢encken鈥檚 Ghost,鈥� 鈥淢usonius Rufus鈥� and 鈥淪ilas Reynolds,鈥� respectively.
The trio, along with 鈥淩yan McMahon鈥� and 鈥淒ark Enlightenment,鈥� heavily promoted the deadly 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� rally聽through Identity Dixie鈥檚 鈥淩ebel Yell鈥� podcast. Identity Dixie leaders worked with other 鈥渁lt-right鈥� groups to coordinate attendance at the rally, arranging transportation to and from the rally and lodging before and after the event. They also organized a 鈥渟ecurity detail鈥� composed of their members for event organizer Kessler.
Kessler appeared on 鈥淩ebel Yell鈥� twice in the runup to 鈥淯nite the Right.鈥�
On a May 19, 2017, episode titled 鈥淛ason Kessler, Right-Wing Activism,鈥� Lynn aka 鈥淢usonius Rufus鈥� encouraged listeners to donate to Identity Dixie so the funds could go towards Kessler鈥檚 legal defense in a disorderly conduct charge. The charge, which was later dismissed, stemmed from Kessler鈥檚 involvement in the 聽in Charlottesville鈥檚 Market Street Park (then known as Lee Park).
A post titled 鈥淐harlottesville: You Will Not Replace Us鈥� under Lucas Gordon鈥檚 鈥淪ilas Reynolds鈥� byline on the ID website indicates members participated in the May 14, 2017, rally along with 鈥淚dentity Evropa, Vanguard America, League of the South [and] The Traditionalist Worker鈥檚 Party.鈥� The blog promotes the white genocide conspiracy theory, claiming that 鈥淩emoving statues is simply a foreshadowing of what the (((Marxist))) memory hole wishes to vanquish; the European people. Sensing the direction of these anti-White actions, our people have motivated to preempt any further progress our enemies seek.鈥� The author shared photographs of individuals he suspected of being Jewish or 人兽性交.
Kessler returned to 鈥淩ebel Yell鈥� on July 6, 2017, to decry the 鈥渉yperbolic rhetoric by the media鈥� regarding the event after journalists noted the visual similarities between the torchlit rally and cross-lightings at Ku Klux Klan gatherings.
Kessler鈥檚 second 鈥淩ebel Yell鈥� appearance was intended to build hype for the planned follow-up to the torchlit rally. Initially known as 鈥淐harlottesville 2.0,鈥� the rally is now known as 鈥淯nite the Right.鈥�
鈥淩ebel Yell鈥� episodes following the July 6, 2017, interview with Kessler featured an audio advertisement encouraging attendance at the rally:
There will be a 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� rally this August 12th in Charlottesville, Virginia. Richard Spencer is returning to defend Lee鈥檚 statue in defiance of the Media鈥檚 smear campaign against Identity Europa鈥檚 rally for the statue. Other speakers will include Mike Enoch, Matthew Heimbach, Augustus Invictus, and Dr. Michael Hill of the League of the South. Bring your Southern flags, gentlemen.
Former Identity Evropa leader Elliot Kline, aka 鈥淓li Mosley,鈥� named Identity Dixie as a 鈥淕roup/Sponsor鈥� in a secret planning document prepared for white nationalist groups attending 鈥淯nite the Right.鈥� That document is listed as an .
Identity Dixie appears to have had a channel in the 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� planning server 鈥淐harlottesville 2.0.鈥� Discord chats leaked by media collective 聽show that Erica Alduino, posting under the username 鈥淓rika,鈥� 鈥� who 聽鈥� posted in 鈥淐harlottesville 2.0 #announcements鈥�:
@everyone If you are a member of Identity Evropa, ATL-Right, Traditionalist Workers Party, Vanguard America, League Of The South, Identity Dixie, or any other organization I failed to name, please DM me. I set up private, organization specific channels so members in each group can coordinate and socialize with each other.
Identity Dixie members attending 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� were instructed in ID鈥檚 secret Facebook group to wear a distinctive uniform consisting of a blue collared sport shirt and khaki pants. Several members bore the group鈥檚 flag, a 鈥淪outhern Nationalist鈥� flag聽adorned with a cartoon magnolia flower.
Virginia鈥檚 governor canceled the rally before it began. After an order to disperse, videos from that day show members of Identity Dixie marching away from Emancipation Park in Charlottesville and fighting with counterprotesters along their path. Subsequently, members of Identity Dixie praised themselves for participating in the failed rally and its aftermath.
Member 鈥淪pencer Reeshly鈥� shared an image of a wooden shield adorned with Identity Dixie鈥檚 logo and the slogan 鈥淵ou Will Not Replace Us鈥� built for 鈥淯nite the Right.鈥�
Following 鈥淯nite the Right,鈥� Lynn, under his 鈥淢usonius Rufus鈥� pseudonym, took to ID鈥檚 secret Facebook group to thank a member who 鈥渓ed the brethren of Identity Dixie in this battle,鈥� and acted as Kessler鈥檚 personal security during the event.
Responding to Lynn鈥檚 remarks 鈥淗amish Bone鈥� demurred on his role and stated, 鈥渁s for leading ID, Silas and Mike led ID into Cville. Silas opened his home to all of us when we had nowhere to stay.鈥�
Other ID members were lauded for their role in the violence that day. R.G. Miller, Spencer Borum, aka 鈥淪pencer Randolph,鈥� and Brandon Richey, who were members in both the League of the South and ID, were filmed pummeling counterprotesters.
鈥淢itch Hoob鈥� replied in Lynn鈥檚 comment that 鈥渢he greatest f----- thing was walking towards that massive crowd of psychopaths only to see RG/Spencer Randolph/Brandon Richey come flying through to clear em out allowing us to make it through with ease.鈥�
Photo illustration by 人兽性交
