White supremacists crash in South Plainfield, New Jersey Labor Day parade

A group of white supremacists whose members helped sack the US Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot failed to infiltrate a Labor Day parade in New Jersey on Monday, the city’s mayor said in one Explanation.

South Plainfield Mayor Matthew Anesh said the group of racists, part of the New Jersey European Heritage Association, tried to sneak into the back of his town’s annual parade but were quickly stopped by police. The group never registered with the city and were treated like protesters, Anesh said.

However, the group’s unofficial status didn’t stop pissed-off parade-goers from berating and recording the men.

“You know these guys are racist shit, do you know who they are?” says a man in the video. “You are not welcome here. Not welcome.”

The group donned matching white T-shirts and sunglasses, and wore headscarves with the American flag in front of their faces while holding a giant sign that read, “DEFEND THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE…CLOSE THE BORDER.” They remained calm as parade-goers harassed them, but one member stepped forward briefly to take a picture of the sign before the shot stopped.

It’s unclear how long the group was on the parade route, as video only shows them standing silently while police flank them, no floats in sight. Mayor Anesh did not respond to a call or text message from The Daily Beast asking for clarification Tuesday afternoon.

Anesh, who runs the central Jersey town of 24,000, released a rambling statement on Tuesday to deny theories that the group was an official part of the parade or that they were given a police escort.

“In no way did I, the Governing Body, the Public Celebrations Committee, or any other group or organization in South Plainfield condone or welcome this group to the parade,” Anesh said wrote.

The Anti Defamation League has classified the New Jersey European Heritage Association as a “minor” hate group. They are known, particularly in the Garden State, for posting anti-Semitic leaflets and spitting out hatred while attending white supremacist rallies and demonstrations.

Despite their size, leaflets from the group were found in the US Capitol after last year’s riot, Gothamist reported. Another flier spotted outside a McDonald’s in Trenton, New Jersey, had the text “America Under Occupation” emblazoned over the Star of David.

Each flyer has a QR code printed on it, directing curious viewers to their incredibly creepy and hateful website, which is filled with “substitute theory” nonsense and photos of pregnant white women.

“The non-whites who will come to replace us will rebuild the failed societies they fled,” the group’s website reads. “Ask yourself, is this what the Founding Fathers wanted? Is that even what your grandparents wanted? And more importantly, is that what you want for your kids?”

The group’s members believe that white children are a minority in the US and that Antifa is a “Jewish communist militia,” Gothamist reported.

Despite the hate group’s antics, Anesh said they didn’t disrupt the city enough to cancel the parade for the fourth straight year. It was postponed because of a security incident in 2019, COVID in 2020 and last year’s Tropical Storm Ida, he said.

Instead, the mayor went so far as to claim that the South Plainfield parade that Labor Day was New Jersey’s best parade, attended by thousands. Whether he’s right or not, it’s a save that’s likely to be talked about for years to come.

“I would like to thank the police for stepping in and keeping the day’s activities safe for our residents and not allowing Labor Day to be disrupted by this group,” Anesh said.