US Interior Secretary defends white supremacist march as free speech
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that a July 4 march by the white supremacist group Patriot Front in Washington, D.C., was protected under free speech laws. Hundreds of masked members marched through the National Mall and near the US Capitol and Union Station, then took Metro trains to a D.C. suburb. Burgum told CNN's State of the Union that the group did nothing illegal, despite their anti-immigrant ideology, which he personally disagrees with. He compared their rights to those of protesters criticizing President Donald Trump. Patriot Front's manifesto criticizes democracy and calls for a return to European settler traditions.
Key facts
- Doug Burgum said Patriot Front's July 4 march was protected free speech.
- Hundreds of masked Patriot Front members marched through Washington, D.C., on Independence Day.
- The march went through the National Mall, near the US Capitol and Union Station.
- Members later took Metro trains to a D.C. suburb.
- Burgum appeared on CNN's State of the Union to discuss the event.
- Burgum stated he disagrees with the group's white supremacist, anti-immigrant ideology.
- Patriot Front's manifesto says 'Democracy has failed this once great nation' and calls for a 'hard reset'.
- The group identifies European settlers as the forefathers to return to.
Entities
Institutions
- Patriot Front
- CNN
- State of the Union
- US Capitol
- Union Station
- Metro
- National Mall
Locations
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- District of Columbia