Leader of white supremacist group NSC-131 Chris Hood has been charged with affray. (The Boston Globe via Getty/ Jessica Rinaldi)
The founder of the neo-Nazi group NSC-131 has appeared in court to face charges of violence while protesting a Drag Queen Story Hour event.
NSC-131 is a racist, antisemitic, neo-Nazi group that was founded in 2019. The letters NSC stand for “Nationalist Social Club”, while 131 represents the letters ACA – “Anti-Communist Action”.
Chris Hood, 23, is the founder and leader of Massachusetts-based NSC-131 and has been charged with affray – two or more people fighting in a public place “to the terror of the persons lawfully there” – while rallying against the children’s book event in Jamaica Plain on 23 July 2022.
Protesters chanted and held banners reading: “Pedo scum. Off our streets.” Two other men were also arrested, but charges were dropped.
Hood appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing on Monday (19 September) and announced that he would be representing himself in the case.
According to MassLive, Hood told judge Kathleen Coffey: “I’ve not found private counsel yet, and I do need more time to prepare my defense.
“I just got the police report and stuff like that just moments ago… I wish to represent myself, for now.”
Hood declined the offer of a court-appointed lawyer, and said he would be filing a bill of particulars – a formal statement of charges from the prosecutor containing more detailed information.
He will appear at a further pre-trial hearing on 17 October.
And he’s leaving as people yell “Nazi scum.” pic.twitter.com/dDwUczFpbq
— Chris Van Buskirk (@byChrisVan) September 19, 2022
According to the anti-hate organisation ADL, “NSC members consider themselves soldiers fighting a war against a hostile, Jewish-controlled system that is deliberately plotting the extinction of the white race.
“Their goal is to form an underground network of white men who are willing to fight against their perceived enemies through localised direct actions.”
NSC-131 members are known to engage in fitness and firearms training in preparation for what they believe is an imminent “war”.
In July 2020, eight people associated with NSC-131 were arrested for agitating protesters and shouting racist slurs at a Black Lives Matter rally in Rogersville, Tennessee.
Upon their release, the group posed outside the sheriff’s office giving Nazi salutes.
OK… the NSC 131 — a neo-Nazi group based in New England, with members in Mass, NH and #Maine — are part of the Captiol takeover. No surprise the rioting “patriots” have support from real Nazis. #mepolitics pic.twitter.com/2FtnV66UGl
— Crash Barry (@Crash_Barry) January 6, 2021
Members of the neo-Nazi group were also involved in the Capitol insurrection, and have provided security to the homophobic group Super Happy Fun America, which organised the vile Boston “straight pride” march.