Detroit police chief James Craig said Monday that police successfully suppressed a neo-Nazi plot to spark “Charlottesville number two” at a pride parade this weekend.
According to the Detroit News, police had advance knowledge that the neo-Nazis intended to protest the event and try to draw counter-protesters — Craig called them “Antifa” — into a riot by wielding their firearms and shouting taunts.
Craig said that both groups were yelling racial epithets at the officers and that the neo-Nazis in particular were making monkey sounds.
“[The neo-Nazis] had their attorney present, and they had cameras,” Craig said. “According to our intelligence, they were hoping because of open carry they were frankly trying to bait this police department and bait the other side. The opposing group was trying to bait our officers as well. Both groups were wrong.”
Police were able to to keep the two groups apart, per the Detroit News.
