Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell filed a civil rights lawsuit on Thursday against the white nationalist group NSC-131, accusing it of repeatedly violating civil rights by intimidating and harassing LGBTQ+ events and migrant family shelters.
In the complaint against NSC-131 leaders Christopher Hood and Liam McNeil, Campbell alleges that the group engaged "in violent, threatening, and intimidating conduct that violated state civil rights laws and unlawfully interfered with public safety," reported The Hill.
"NSC-131 has engaged in a concerted campaign to target and terrorize people across Massachusetts and interfere with their rights. Our complaint is the first step in holding this neo-Nazi group and its leaders accountable for their unlawful actions against members of our community," Campbell said in a statement.
The lawsuit details the group's alleged actions, stating that between July 2022 and January 2023, NSC-131 targeted Drag Story Hour events statewide, attempting to disrupt them and assaulting members of the public. Additionally, prosecutors claim the group targeted migrant shelters from October 2022 to October 2023.
"My office will continue to do all it can to protect our residents' and visitors' civil rights and public safety," Campbell added.
The Anti-Defamation League characterizes NSC-131 as a neo-Nazi group founded in 2019, based in New England, that "espouses racism, antisemitism and intolerance." The group's membership reportedly consists of "neo-Nazis and racist skinheads," many with prior affiliations to "other white supremacist groups."
Earlier this year, NSC-131 faced trespassing complaints in New Hampshire, where prosecutors alleged the group displayed "Keep New England White" banners from an overpass without a permit in July. The complaints were later dismissed by a judge, as reported by ABC6News.
In March 2022, approximately a dozen masked NSC-131 members attended South Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade, displaying a banner reading "Keep Boston Irish." The group's presence drew condemnation from the parade's organizers and Mayor Michelle Wu.
The defendants, Hood and McNeil, have not yet publicly responded to the accusations.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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