Patriot Front accused of assault after ‘sickening’ march through Boston

Black leaders in Boston called Patriot Front members the ‘children of the KKK’

Right-wing extremist group Patriot Front marches through Boston carrying flags. Members of the group have been accused of assaulting a Black man who was trying to film them during their march. (screengrab)

Members of the far-right extremist group Patriot Front have been charged with assault after an incident occurred while the group was masked and marching through Boston.

According to police, a Black man said he was assaulted by Patriot Front members during their march. The man was reportedly trying to film them on his cellphone.

The man told Boston police that members of the group carrying shields encircled him and shoved him to the ground when they realised he was recording. He claims he tried to push them away and stand up, but that they beat him back to the ground.

ABC News reports that the man suffered cuts to his head, arms and hands, and required treatment at a nearby hospital. No arrests in that attack have been made.

The man who was attacked, Charles Murrell, spoke on the Fourth of July during a gathering of the city's Black leaders.

"There are ambassadors, artists, and people who care about the city and the image of this city, that have been doing the work, and we are inviting you to come share space with us," Mr Murrell said.

Some of those local Black leaders referred to Patriot Front as the "children of the KKK."

"We're not surprised. Boston has had a long legacy of racism," Reverend Kevin Peterson said during the meeting. "In fact, the city was founded on racism. Slaves were imported here. And that legacy continues into 2022."

Mayor Michelle Wu spoke out against Patriot Front in a tweet.

"The disgusting hate of white supremacists has no place here. [Especially] when so many of our rights are under attack, we will not normalise intimidation by bigots," she wrote. "As we mark Boston's legacy as the cradle of liberty, we celebrate the continued fight to expand those liberties for all."

She told a local ABC News affiliate WCVB that the attack was still being investigated by the city's Civil Rights Unit.

"We're looking into their identities and there already has been some information shared in various parts about the national leaders of this group who were part of this effort, who were in town, were present at the recent events as this group has gone to terrorize other communities as well," Ms Wu said.

Members of Patriot Front were in the news recently when dozens of them were arrested by police in Idaho. The group was reportedly planning to disrupt a Pride event and had loaded a moving trailer with riot gear in preparation.