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by Joyce Westner
“Unite against Hate and Extremism” was the theme of a gathering on Winchester Common on Saturday, September 2, organized by the community’s Network for Social Justice. According to member Sandy Thompson, they gathered in response to a neo-Nazi group which had protested the arrival of 60 Haitian families in Woburn the previous Saturday. According to the Boston Globe, the group known as NSC-131, is a self-described “pro-white, street-oriented fraternity dedicated to raising AUTHENTIC resistance to the enemies of our people in the New England area.” It has been classified as a neo-Nazi organization by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
NSC-131 wrote on a social media platform that they were there to oppose “invaders and their collaborators.” A post on the Winchester Residents Facebook page was taken down after it created a controversy by saying they hoped the Haitians weren’t coming to Winchester. The gathering was inspired by Michelle Chalmers, one of the leaders of a regional group called White People Challenging Racism.
