TENSIONS erupted on Saturday as members of the far-right Patriot Front group “hijacked” an anti-abortion event in Chicago.
Footage shows hundreds of anti-abortion rights activists gathering at Federal Plaza for the annual March For Life.
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Photographer Alex Kent captured dramatic footage of a March for Life Rally supporter standing in front of Patriot Front members and appearing to scold them.
After saying, “I’m a conservative. You guys are an embarrassment to conservatives,” the man supporting the March for Life Rally yelled at the Patriot Front group.
He spoke angrily at the far-right hate group as they were marching towards him with shields, American flags, a large banner, and red, white, and blue-themed attire.
The upset man said: “No, you’re not a part of this march. Yeah, you’re not a part of this. Put down your bullhorn!
“Oh yeah, I’m the bad guy. Put down the cowboy hat, you’re an embarrassment to cowboys.”
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According to the photographer, the man was yelling at the group’s leader Thomas Rousseau.
Independent reporter Brendan Gutenschwager also shared footage to Twitter of March for Life members confronting the Patriot Front group.
The reporter tweeted: “Some of the March for Life crowd, accosting Patriot Front members and accusing them of ‘hijacking a pro-life movement’ as they march through Chicago.”
Prior to getting being confronted by the March for Life Rallygoer, the far-right group marched alongside the March for Life Rally and held up a large sign reading: “Strong Families Make Strong Nations.”
The Patriot Front group was heading chanting “life, liberty and victory” as they marched.
Kent estimated around 500 people took part in the March for Life Rally, with approximately 100 counter-protesters in attendance, and roughly 25 to 50 members of Patriot Front on scene.
Police were in attendance but did not appear to intervene as there were no major conflicts.
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Patriot Front “is a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them alone.”
It adds: “They define themselves as American fascists or American nationalists who are focused on preserving America’s identity as a European-American identity.”
March for Life Chicago, which dubs itself the “largest pro-life event in the Midwest” — took place in downtown Chicago.
According to March for Life Chicago’s website, the purpose of Saturday’s event “is to provide an annual public event composed of people from diverse ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds dedicated to defending and protecting all human life.
The March for Life convention ended around 12.30pm after the 2022 rally speakers addressed the crowd.
Patriot Front members took to the streets approximately 15 to 30 minutes after the marching began.
According to Kent, Patriot Front members, who were not welcome by event organizers, didn’t show up at the main gathering point.
They waited several blocks away before joining in, where they were seen walking on the side of the road as the March for Life took place through the streets.
As the March for Life ended at the convention center, the Patriot Front marched an extra two miles or so to an area where cars, with taped-over license plates, were seen picking up group members.
One man was seen in another Twitter video walking behind the Patriot Front group as they passed Chicago’s Field Museum.
The man was heard yelling: “All good Americans will stand up against this bulls***.”
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