Neo-Nazis targeted a majority-Black town
Residents of Lincoln Heights, Ohio, have taken up arms to guard their streets after neo-Nazis targeted their town. Men in masks and body armor patrol the roads, questioning those who approach, following incidents of racist demonstrations and Ku Klux Klan pamphleteering. Frustrated with the police response, locals say they’re left with no choice but to protect themselves.
In early February, masked neo-Nazis, armed with rifles and swastika flags, rallied on a highway overpass near Lincoln Heights as schoolchildren were let out of class. Weeks later, racist Klan leaflets littered the streets. The lack of arrests or citations during the incidents, along with video footage showing police interacting cordially with the demonstrators, further inflamed community anger.
Lincoln Heights has a history of self-reliance. Founded in the 1920s as a Black enclave, it faced systemic neglect for decades. The town lost much of its tax base before incorporating in 1946 and only recently succeeded in relocating a nearby police gun range. Its police department was disbanded in 2014, leaving law enforcement to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
In response to the neo-Nazi march, locals quickly organized the Lincoln Heights Safety and Watch Program, coordinating about 70 volunteers to guard the town’s entrances and patrol its streets. Community members flanked organizers during protests and watched over public meetings, determined to prevent future threats.
The sheriff’s office, while boosting patrols, did not endorse the armed watch, stating residents were exercising their legal right to open carry. Reports of isolated confrontations surfaced, but program leaders emphasized that official members are instructed to report suspicious activity rather than engage in vigilantism.
Residents, however, remain wary. They called for a boycott of businesses in neighboring Evendale until the town investigates and disciplines officers who aided the demonstrators. Evendale commissioned an independent review of its police force, while the county prosecutor’s office reviews evidence to consider criminal charges against the neo-Nazis.
Despite the town’s collective resolve, the situation weighs heavily on residents. “It’s a bad thing for everybody,” said Dominic Brewton Jr., an unarmed volunteer guard. “I would for sure rather rely on the police. [This is] out of necessity.”
For now, the watch continues. Community members remain vigilant, unsure when the next threat might come. But their determination reflects a legacy of resistance — one that has sustained Lincoln Heights for generations.
