Philly Proud Boys president Zach Rehl marched alongside leaders charged in Capitol riot

from Mainstream Media

Images from the day show Zach Rehl, the Philly Proud Boys president, at the forefront of a crowd that marched on the Capitol and eventually breached the security perimeter. He hasn’t been charged.

Proud Boys leaders Zach Rehl, of Philadelphia (camouflage hat, left), Ethan Nordean, of Seattle, and Joe Biggs, of Florida, (grey plaid flannel with neck gaiter) lead marchers to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Nordean and Biggs have both been charged with playing a role in the storming of the Capitol.
Proud Boys leaders Zach Rehl, of Philadelphia (camouflage hat, left), Ethan Nordean, of Seattle, and Joe Biggs, of Florida, (grey plaid flannel with neck gaiter) lead marchers to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Nordean and Biggs have both been charged with playing a role in the storming of the Capitol.

With top leaders of the Proud Boys now facing charges for their alleged roles in the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol attack, scrutiny has increasingly turned toward one Philadelphia member of the group who stood by their side, helping to guide the organization’s march through Washington that day.

Photos and videos shared widely on social media show Zach Rehl, the self-described president of the Proud Boys’ Philadelphia chapter, assisting two other leaders of the far-right nationalist group — Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs.

Wearing a camouflage “Make America Great Again” hat and a Temple Owls backpack, he and the other two men led roughly 100 followers toward the halls of Congress, and ultimately beyond the building’s security perimeters, the footage shows.

Another photo, published in New Yorker magazine, appears to show Rehl checking his cell phone and smoking a cigarette, amid a crowd of rioters in the office of a U.S. senator.

But while Nordean, of Seattle, and Biggs, of Florida, have been charged in connection with the attack, Rehl had not been arrested as of this week.

He immediately hung up the phone when contacted by an Inquirer reporter and has ignored subsequent text message requests to discuss the photos of him at the Capitol.

Amateur online sleuths who first identified him from the photos have submitted tips to the FBI. But a bureau spokesperson declined to confirm or deny whether it has opened an investigation of Rehl’s activities that day. Since Jan. 6, agents have been flooded with thousands of leads about possible participants in the riot and continue to bring charges against newly identified defendants on an almost daily basis.

Investigators have described the Proud Boys, a militant nationwide organization whose members are among Donald Trump’s most vocal and violent supporters, as one of the primary instigating forces behind the Capitol attack. More than a dozen members have been charged in connection with the insurrection so far — more than any other organized group.

And Rehl, 35, of Port Richmond, has emerged as one of the group’s most visible representatives on the East Coast. A former Marine and son and grandson of Philadelphia police officers, he has led the Proud Boys in the city since at least 2018 — a role that has put him at the fore of many of their most controversial moments.

When Proud Boys were spotted mingling with officers at a “Back the Blue” rally outside the Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Northeast Philadelphia this summer, Rehl was there, drinking beer and chatting with others in the parking lot who were openly carrying a Proud Boys flag.

He was one of the organizers behind the 2018 pro-Trump “We the People” rally outside Independence Hall, which drew a minuscule crowd of supporters but led to heated clashes with a much larger group of counterprotesters.

“It’s not a rally for the Proud Boys,” Rehl told The Inquirer at the time, denying affiliation with the group. “We’re not interested in having any racist groups there.”

And when Donald Trump called his supporters to Washington for a Jan. 6 rally to protest Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, Rehl took steps to attend.

He opened a crowdfunding account on the Christian website GiveSendGo, popular among far-right extremist organizations, that raised more than $5,500 to fund his travel. He urged his followers on the social media site Parler not to be scared off by increased security around Washington.

“Just FYI, WE’RE HERE with you in DC now!,” he posted the night before the Capitol attack.

A screen shot from an archive of Zach Rehl's account on the social media site Parler, which is favored by conservatives.
A screen shot from an archive of Zach Rehl’s account on the social media site Parler, which is favored by conservatives.Screenshot

In the days that followed the Capitol attack, Rehl defended the insurrection as “historical.”

He shared photos on Parler of rioters walking off with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern and, in another post, co-opted the language of the Black Lives Matter movement to memorialize Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran fatally shot by Capitol police, with the hashtag #sayhername.

“Some dumba — thinks that today wasn’t a historical day,” he wrote. “Shut up child. Maybe you will learn to take a history class.”

But unlike many of the insurrectionists now facing criminal charges, Rehl did not post photos and videos of himself from Jan. 6.

The FBI has cited social media posts from Nordean, the self-described Proud Boys sergeant-at-arms from Seattle, and Biggs, a Proud Boys organizer in Florida, in building cases against the men whom Rehl marched alongside that day.

In court filings this week, agents described Nordean, who goes by the alias Rufio Panman, as the de facto leader of the group’s activities in Washington and said he had been granted “war powers” by the group’s membership to take “ultimate leadership” of the Proud Boys after the Jan. 4 arrest of the organization’s national leader, Enrique Tarrio.

Prosecutors contend that Nordean led the Proud Boy cohort in tactical planning that day to avoid detection — a strategy that allegedly involved voiding clothing with the group’s distinctive black-and-gold laurel insignia, splitting into groups to approach the building from different vantage points, and looking to recruit so-called “normies,” or non-Proud Boys, in the crowds to join in the Capitol siege. Nordean has denied these allegations.

An Inquirer review of dozens of social media photos and videos of Nordean’s activities that day showed that Rehl was often at his side.

Members of the Proud Boys including Joseph Biggs (grey plaid flannel shirt) and Zach Rehl (camouflage cap) march near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Members of the Proud Boys including Joseph Biggs (grey plaid flannel shirt) and Zach Rehl (camouflage cap) march near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

One nearly two-hour Livestream — filmed by fellow Proud Boy Eddie Block of California — depicts Nordean, Biggs, and Rehl leading a group of more than 100 Proud Boys and followers on a meandering march around the Capitol.

They gathered as Trump’s rally was still ongoing at the Ellipse, near the White House, and began their procession a full half hour before the president had taken the stage. Visible among the crowd were several other Proud Boys and associates who have since been charged with assaulting police or property damage at the Capitol later that afternoon.

Nordean directed the marchers via bullhorn, leading chants of “Whose Streets? Our Streets” and “F — Antifa!” while Rehl and Biggs at various points used raised fists to signal to the Proud Boys behind them to stop or start their progress.

“Who is leading because Enrique isn’t here?” Block asked rhetorically at one point, before answering: “Biggs and Rufio Panman.” He does not mention Rehl by name.

Still, Rehl appears throughout Block’s footage at the fore of the group — dressed in the camouflage hat, a bulky black hooded coat, and Temple backpack, with a radio clipped to its shoulder strap — at times, smoking cigarettes or quietly checking his phone.

Warning: The video below contains offensive language.

Other videos show the same group of Proud Boy marchers joining a mob gathered at a barricade outside the Capitol just before 1 p.m.

In one, Biggs appears to briefly huddle with a man in a red “Make America Great Again” hat who then charges the police barriers, toppling them, injuring officers, and making way for the crowd to storm into restricted grounds. Authorities identified that man as Ryan Samsel, 37, of Bristol, and arrested him last month.

Rehl, Biggs, and Nordean again appear together in footage taken later that day on the front lines near the Capitol steps.

But while Biggs and Nordean were caught on camera entering the building — a fact that prosecutors have cited in the cases against both men — no similar footage of Rehl appears to have surfaced.

Still, a photograph published Jan. 25 in New Yorker magazine of a crowd of rioters carousing in the office of Sen. Jeff Merkley (D. Ore.) shows a man wearing Rehl’s same bulky black coat, camouflage hat, and striped neck gaiter smoking a cigarette while checking his cell phone.

Sent that photo by a reporter this week and asked to comment, Rehl did not respond.

Nordean and Biggs face charges including obstruction of Congress, illegally entering a restricted area, and disorderly conduct. Both have been released while awaiting trial.

Bangor Resident Amie Eckert Chartered Buses to Violent “Stop the Steal” Rallies & J6 Coup Attempt in Washington, DC

from Community Research Opposing Hate

Four images of Amie Eckert.

Amie Eckert Charged with Harassment & Disorderly Conduct at October 2020 Pro-Trump Event She Organized in Easton

Amie Eckert is a Bangor, PA resident and Lehigh Valley Tea Party (LVTP) member who — over the course of 2020 — became increasingly active in organizing for the MAGA and Patriot movements in the Lehigh Valley. She also exported her far-right organizing, going as far as arranging a bus charter and transporting dozens of Lehigh Valley residents to the January 6th fascist coup attempt at the US Capitol Building.

Amie was a regular participant at local “pro-Trump flag rallies” leading up to the 2020 US Presidential Election. She was so active, in fact, that she quickly began organizing more flag rallies herself. Take, for example, this event that took place in Easton on October 30th, 2020.

On the left, a screencap of the "Pro Trump Flag Rallies for Lehigh and Northampton County" Facebook page promoting Amy Eckert's "TRUMP flag waving rally" event. On the right, a screencap of the event page. Listed as host of the event is Amy Eckert.

At this particular event, Amie was charged by Palmer Township Police for harassment and disorderly conduct. Of course, she lawyered up, hiring LVTP Chairman Tom Caroll as attorney. If the name Tom Caroll sounds familiar, it may be because he was forced to resign from his position as Assistant District Attorney for Northampton County after a he engaged in a racist prank against a black colleague.

Caroll succeeded in convincing the court to drop Amie Eckert’s charges. But the fact that charges were laid against Eckert in the first place speaks to her willingness to engage in elevated confrontation with political opponents far beyond passionate dialogue.

Amie Eckert Chartered Buses from Lehigh Valley to the November 14th & December 12th “Million MAGA Rallies” in Washington, DC

Amie Eckert’s far-right organizing extends well beyond the Lehigh Valley. Eckert organized bus trips to both the November and December “Million MAGA Rallies” in Washington, DC. Both of these events were covered widely in the media due to the extreme violence and mass intimidation that far-right street brawlers carried out on DC residents and anti-racist activists.

Two screencaps from Amie Eckert's Facebook page. Each is a series of images from the November 14th and December 12th bus charters to DC.

In the weeks leading up to both of these events, activists in DC raised alarm bells and implored white liberals to acknowledge and respond to this burgeoning campaign of fascist violence. Aside from a small contingent of committed activists, calls to show up and outnumber the Proud Boys and their coalition partners largely went unanswered.

Among the Lehigh Valley residents that Eckert bused to DC was Benjamin Jacques. Eckert and Jacques expressed their support for the Proud Boys — a far-right street gang — in the below screen capture from Eckert’s November 14th Facebook post. Not only did Eckert and Jacques express support, they admitted interest in starting a local chapter and went as far as e-mailing the Proud Boys organization. Eckert suggested that Jacques (a graphic designer) begin work on a flag design for their “division.”

Screencap of a November 14th Facebook post by Amie Eckert. In the comments Amie, Benjamin Jacques, and others discuss creating a Proud Boys chapter.

Not only did Eckert and Jacques communicate with Proud Boys online, they actually formed real life connections at the December 12th “Million MAGA Rally.” Take for example, Jacques’ Dec. 12 Instagram post featuring a photo from this event. In the photo, Jacques poses with a unit of Proud Boys and other far-right street brawlers in full tactical gear. Included in this photo is Philadelphia Proud Boys President Zach Rehl, who was captured on video repeatedly as he helped direct the fascist coup on January 6th. Also in the selfie is Dion Cini, a far-right provocateur with ties to neo-Nazis who actually breached the US Capitol Building at the aforementioned coup. A third person posing for the selfie is Philadelphia Proud Boys Vice-President Aaron Wolkind-Whallon. All three men display the “white power okay sign” in Jacques’ selfie.

In the middle, a selfie that Benjamin Jacques took at the December 12th "Million MAGA Rally" in DC. Surrounding this image are photos highlighting the fascist exploits of Zach Rehl, Dion Cini, and Aaron Wolkind-Whallon.
Some info pulled from sources linked above. Thank you to all researchers who laid the groundwork for us to identify these individuals.

We know that Eckert marched the streets of DC threatening anti-racist activists with members of the Proud Boy street gang because she live-streamed it to her Facebook profile. In the video below, you can actually see the moment that Benjamin Jacques asked these Proud Boys for a selfie.

In another live-stream from December 12th, members of Eckert’s crew walk past the US Capitol Building and discuss the police presence. One man asks “Do they really think we’re gonna rob the Capitol?” to which a second man replies “Well, we won’t today. But we might.”

As the video above implies, these November and December “Million MAGA Rallies” can best be understood as dress rehearsals for the fascist coup attempt at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021.

Amie Eckert & the LVTP Charter Bus to January 6th Fascist Coup Attempt at US Capitol Building

On December 19th, 2020, Amie Eckert posted to her Facebook account imploring her followers to join her on the multiple buses she was organizing for the January 6th “Stop the Steal” rally-turned-coup-attempt in DC. Three days later, on December 22nd, the LVTP posted a flyer to their website and Facebook page advertising a bus charter to DC. It’s clear that the LVTP’s bus charter and Eckert’s bus charter are one and the same because the flyer reads “Contact Amie ASAP: 484.626.2529.” A comment on the LVTP Facebook post reads “Guns optional?”

On the left, a screencap from Amie Eckert's Facebook profile imploring her followers to join her bus charter to DC on January 6th. In the middle, a screencap from the LVTP's Facebook account a flyer advertising this bus trip. On the right, a screencap from LVTP's website advertising the same bus trip.

This comment serves as a good representative of right wing online chatter in the weeks approaching the January 6th coup attempt at the Capitol. And Amie Eckert’s social media posts were no exception. Below are several posts from her Facebook account that indicate a militant disposition to the approaching event.

Series of photos displaying Amie Eckert's militancy leading up to the J6 Capitol coup attempt.

Most images and commentary about the January 6th coup attempt have since been removed by Eckert and her associates. However, we were able to capture comments by Benjamin Jacques which confirm Eckert and Jacques’ J6 contingent were on the steps of the Capitol engaged in direct confrontation with Capitol police:

“We were on the front line… On the steps… We were tear gassed, pepper sprayed… peppered pellets.”

Screencap from Steve Lynch's Facebook post. Benjamin Jacques comments on the post, claiming that he was personally on the capitol steps in conflict with Capitol police.

This next subject is incredibly sensitive, and we have done our best to handle it with care. We have never and will never post images of children; even images from violent, far-right political actions. That said, the information below is so egregious, we felt we had to address it.

Amie Eckert Brings Her Elementary-Age Child to Fascist Rallies, Child Streams Confrontation & Poses for Photo with Proud Boys

Unfortunately, Amie Eckert has made a habit of bringing her elementary-age child to the events described above. While we could not confirm that Eckert brought her child to DC on January 6th, it was very clear that Eckert brought them to the November and December “Million MAGA Rallies.” In December, she actually allowed her child to live-stream their march with Proud Boys on the streets of DC.

During this live-stream (taken from Eckert’s phone and broadcasting to Eckert’s Facebook profile), her child wandered among a crowd of Proud Boys capturing video. It’s important to point out that the Proud Boys have recently been classified a terrorist group by the Canadian government, and the FBI considers them an “extremist group with ties to white nationalism.” After the crowd began marching, their group engaged in verbal altercations with DC residents; verbal altercations that the child engaged in personally.

In another video captured from her Facebook profile, Amie Eckert’s child anticipated the antifascist presence in DC, saying “I think antifa is here if I’m not mistaken. Because there are so many cops coming up. I hope they’re here.” Offscreen, a man can be heard asking the child, “You gonna beat them up?”

The next topic is likely the most egregious action that Amie Eckert took in regard to her child at these fascist rallies. At the November 14th “Million MAGA Rally” in DC, she had her child pose for a photo with two Proud Boys in tactical street-fighting gear along with the text “(child’s name) and the Proud Boys.”

Screencap of Amie Eckert's Facebook post from November 14th, 2020. On the left, an image of Eckert's elementary-age child (blacked out for the child's privacy), posing with two Proud Boys in street fighting gear. On the right, comments in support of the Proud Boys.

It’s bad enough to personally throw one’s support behind a fascist movement. It’s bad enough to personally view white nationalist paramilitaries as one’s friends. But to bring a child to fascist rallies where white nationalist paramilitaries engage in violence against local residents… the irresponsibility cannot be understated.

In Conclusion

Over the course of 2020, Amie Eckert rapidly radicalized around the MAGA movement. She organized events in support of this fascist movement. She was charged with harassing a political opponent at one of these events. She repeatedly posted racist, transphobic, and conspiracy-driven memes and messages on her social media accounts (see below). She organized bus charters to multiple violent, fascist rallies; including the January 6th coup attempt at the US Capitol Building. She brought her elementary age child to these events and had them pose with members of a far-right street gang. For all these reasons — in the interest of community safety — we have compiled this article, as well as the information below.

Additional Information:

Full Name: Amie Lynn Eckert
AKA: Amie Yankowy
DOB: 4/19/1976 (age 44 at date of writing)
Address: 6787 Fairview Ave, Bangor, PA 18013
Home Phone: (610) 264-8459
Mobile Phone: (484) 626-2529
Mobile Phone (possible): (610) 462-4826
Email Addresses:
ayankowy@yahoo.com
ayankowy@gmail.com
Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/amie.eckert.5
(Another FB, possibly linked to business account: https://www.facebook.com/pete.sells99)
Political Groups and/or Movements: MAGA, Patriot, Tea Party

Amie’s Business (co-owner): Carera Organix
Carera Organix Web Site: http://careraorganix.com/
Carera Organix Address: Martins Creek, Pennsylvania
Carera Organix Phone Number: (484) 626-2529
Carera Organix Email Address: sales@organix.com
Carera Organix Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Carera-Organix-318432655438361

Additional Images:

Disgraced Lawyer Jason Jenkins Attended J6 “Stop the Steal” Rally with Allentown Teacher Jason Moorehead

from Community Research Opposing Hate

Two images of Jason Jenkins. On the left, Jenkins takes a selfie on a street corner in Washington, DC with "Stop the Steal" protestors behind him. On the left, a photo of Jason Jenkins in a blue shirt.
Images of Jason Jenkins, who accompanied Raub Middle School Social Studies teacher Jason Moorehead to J6 “Stop the Steal” Rally in Washington, DC.

The Allentown School Board zoom meeting this past Thursday night saw parents, students, and community activists speak out in fierce opposition to the reinstatement of confirmed J6 “Stop the Steal” attendee Jason Moorehead, a teacher at Raub Middle School. While the overwhelming majority of speakers opposed Moorehead’s return to Allentown schools, there were a few community members who spoke in favor of the Social Studies teacher.

Among them was Jason Jenkins, a disgraced Allentown lawyer whose license was suspended in 2012 for stealing money from his clients. During the public comment segment of the school board meeting, Jenkins claimed he was with Jason Moorehead in DC on January 6th. A direct quote: “I was with Jason Moorehead on January 6th so I know he never went within a mile of the Capitol building. And this is an easily verifiable fact.” Jenkins argued that he and Moorehead were nowhere near the violence at the Capitol building that day.

Jason Jenkins’ comments at the February 11th School Board Meeting are interesting, because they conflict with the comments Jenkins made on his Instagram on January 7th (the day after the J6 Capitol Riot).

Two screencaps from Jason Jenkins' Instagram account. On the left, a post Jenkins made on January 7th, in which he sets his geolocation to "U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC." A selfie of Jenkins approaching the "Stop the Steal" Rally in Washington, DC. And commentary from Jenkins "Yesterday was a day of so many emotions. Tear gas, flash grenades, rubber bullets, etc. So much to say and lots of my videos I have to sift through before I'm willing to share, if ever. I suspected yesterday would be a bad day for our constitutional republic and it was, regardless of your political views." On the right, a screencap of the comments below the post just described. A follower of Jenkins comments "Oh wow jason, you were there? Must have been crazy." To which Jenkins replied "you have no idea".

To be clear, Moorehead’s choice to attend the J6 “Stop the Steal” rally-turned-riot is reason enough for him to never teach a student ever again. So any other details are besides the point. That said, Jason Jenkins’ Instagram comments cast serious doubt on Moorehead’s public accounting of his actions in DC that day.

First and foremost — if Jenkins and Moorehead never got within a mile of the Capitol building, why did Jenkins geolocate his post to “U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC”? And if they were never within a mile of the Capitol building, then why would Jenkins post to his Instagram page on January 7th — the day after the riot — “Tear gas, flash grenades, rubber bullets, etc. So much to say and lots of my videos I have to sift through before I’m willing to share, if ever.” In the comments section below Jenkins’ photo, a user posted “Oh wow jason, you were there? Must have been crazy.” to which Jenkins replied “you have no idea,” further inferring that Jenkins and Moorehead were close to violence while in DC.

US Capitol Building with 1-mile radius added.

You don’t see flash grenades or rubber bullets from a mile away. In fact, there is no place in Washington, DC one mile away from the Capitol building where one can see anything save the dome. Jenkins’ geolocation, in addition to his comments, imply heavily that he and Jason Moorehead were far closer to the Capitol building than they claim. And what is even more suspect — Jenkins claims to be sitting on video from the January 6th “Stop the Steal” rally-turned-riot that he will likely never share.

Later in his public comment, Jason Jenkins condemned the Allentown School Board for not contacting him as part of their investigation into Moorehead:

“Not one person from the district has so much as called me, given me a text, an e-mail, nothing. Nor the other four people that were with Jason that day. None of us. We were willing to sign a verification or affidavit under penalty of perjury, that Jason would affirm his actions and his whereabouts. Nobody has asked us to do so.”

Considering Jenkins’ history stealing money from his clients, and the subsequent suspension of his license to practice law in Pennsylvania — is he really a reliable eye witness to Jason Moorehead’s actions? Given his multiple, conflicting accounts about his experience in DC on J6, we can only conclude that his statements are not to be trusted.

Jason Jenkins attempted to advocate for his friend at the Allentown School Board meeting. But he likely ended up hurting Jason Moorehead’s case. Jason Jenkins can’t get his story straight, and any comments he makes at School Board Meetings past, present, and future, can only be understood as unreliable. Given Jason Jenkins’ public admission that he traveled to DC in support of the fascist “Stop the Steal” rally with Jason Moorehead and four of their associates — in the interest of community safety — we have compiled this article, as well as the information below.

More information:

Name: Jason Anthony Jenkins
Address: 2121 W Greenleaf St. Allentown, PA 18104
Phone: (610) 439-0865
Email: jjenkinsesq@aol.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjenkinsesq/

Image that originally alerted the Allentown School District to Jason Moorehead’s attendance at J6:

Two screencaps from Jason Moorehead's FB page. On the left, a FB post by Moorehead where he shares a photo of himself at the J6 "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington, DC along with his text "Doing my civic duty!" On the right, Moorehead shares a meme from FB page "Vintage Political Memes" which reads "Don't worry everyone the capitol is insured". Jason adds his own commentary: "This!"

Gerard Stezelberger — Prolific Nazi Memorabilia Dealer & Owner Of Relic Hunter Firing Line — Chartered Bus to Capitol Riot

from Community Research Opposing Hate

Gerard Stezelberger, Prolific Dealer of Nazi Memorabilia

Gerard Stezelberger of Slatington, PA is known to most as the owner of Relic Hunter Firing Line, a gun shop and shooting range in the Lehigh Valley. However, most Lehigh Valley residents are not familiar with the shop’s origin story. Namely, that Relic Hunter Firing Line was funded by Stezelberger’s online business RelicHunter.com, a major distributor of authentic Nazi gear.

Screencap from the RelicHunter.com Facebook page.

Viewing RelicHunter.com on the Internet Archive, we can see that Stezelberger’s web site explicitly specialized in selling Nazi memorabilia from 2003 until 2016. A deeper dive reveals that Relic Hunter was a high-volume online store. Old Nazi memorabilia was constantly going out the door, and was quickly replaced by more.

As for Stezelberger’s reason for selling Nazi gear, he claims in a 2006 capture of RelicHunter.com, “We’re first and foremost collectors… We’ve decided to become sellers, because of the lack of quality ORIGINAL items we see in the market.” He possessed so many Nazi hats, uniforms, posters, and daggers, that he felt personally responsible to start a business and ensure everyone have access to “quality” Nazi items.

A 2006 capture of RelicHunter.com.

Despite Stezelberger’s supposed commitment to providing original Nazi collectibles, a 2016 forum thread on MilitariaCollectors.Network details concerns about counterfeit Nazi gear. One commenter spoke to Relic Hunter’s notoriety as a dealer of Nazi memorabilia, and referenced Stezelberger as a “downright bent crook.” In CROH’s opinion, making money as a dealer of Nazi wares is deeply unethical, period. But it’s interesting that even among the unscrupulous bunch who buy and sell those Nazi wares, Gerard Stezelberger could be called a “crook.”

Jason Moorehead: Social Studies Teacher on the Wrong Side of History

from Community Research Opposing Hate

On January 6, Jason Moorehead, a social studies teacher at Raub Middle School in Allentown and Woman’s Row Coach for Lehigh University, took a photo of himself at the “Stop the Steal” rally that incited the deadly fascist riot at the Capitol Building later that day. A picture shows Moorehead in a MAGA hat and waving a yet unidentified flag. Later that day he boosted a post that made light of the storming of the Capitol Building.

The next day, Allentown School District Superintendent Thomas Parker announced in a letter the suspension of an unnamed staff member who was “involved in the electoral college protest that took place at the United States Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.” Moorehead has since been confirmed to be that unnamed staff member.

Moorehead quickly lawyered up in order to challenge the suspension. On January 23, Moorehead and his lawyer were given a national platform by Michael Smerconish on CNN. Moorehead claims that he was no closer than a mile away from the Capitol Building and didn’t break any laws that day. His lawyer, Francis Malofiy, argued that Moorehead’s First Amendment rights are being violated. On January 28, Moorehead’s supporters organized a call-in to the Allentown School District Board Meeting asking for him to be reinstated, one person comparing his plight to the victims of Nazi Germany.

Moorehead and his sycophants miss the point, of course. No one denies that Moorehead has the right to free speech and assembly, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into employment protections. The fact of the matter is that Jason Moorehead is either a willing and knowing participant in a fascist political movement, or he is wholly unqualified to teach middle school social studies. Whether the former or the latter is true, he does not belong in an Allentown classroom. The safety, educational development, and rights of the students are fundamental to the operation of Allentown School District. Moorehead’s employment as a teacher disrupts the school district’s ability to maintain a safe learning environment for the students of Allentown.

Green Anti-capitalist Front stencils and banner drops

from Instagram

Photo by Philly GAF on February 05, 2021. May be an image of brick wall.

GAF stencils and banner drops! WE WANT EVERYTHING!

Photo by Philly GAF on February 05, 2021. May be an image of brick wall and outdoors.

A second antifascist was visited by the FBI

from Instagram

A second antifascist was visited by the FBI in Philadelphia yesterday. Well, sort of. The weird thing is the FBI wasn’t even looking in the right ‘state’ as the person they were seeking out lives in New Jersey. That’s some real Grade A police work! Anyway. The state is up to something – possibly in collaboration with far right conspiracy theories that ‘antifa’ had something to do with the right wing violence on January 6th. News flash: ‘antifa’ had nothing to do with that whole shitshow, that scene was a wholly white supremacist riot. Be safe friends, MAKE SECURITY CULTURE YOUR #1 PRIORITY. They are only trying to intimidate us – don’t let them – be brave!

Anti-Fascist Comrade Visited By FBI

from Twitter

[This afternoon, January 15 2021, an anti-fascist comrade was visited by two FBI agents at their home in Philadelphia.

The agents said they had questions about the recent events at the Capitol. The comrade refused to answer questions & immediately got in touch with legal & anti-repression support. We don’t rely on the state to address fascist threats. The FBI has roots in repressing anarchist and Black liberation movements. We do not trust that they are only investigating the events at the Capitol. We challenge their attempts at repression with our collective refusal to speak to law enforcement.

If you are contacted by the FBI or other law enforcement, contact Up Against The Law or Philly Anti-Repression.

Up Against The Law: 484-758-0388
Philly Anti-Repression: 267-460-1886]

Why Is Philly Proud Boys Prez Zach Rehl Lying About Being in DC on January 6th?

from Philly Justice

Zach Rehl (camo hat with orange letters), Joe Biggs (standing next to Rehl) and other Proud Boys in Washington, DC on 1/6/21 at the Washington monument. The Library of Congress, which is behind the Capitol) is visible in the background.

Apparently, Philly Proud Boys chapter president Zach Rehl (last known residing on Almond st.) is feeling regretful (and nervous) about his participation in the Capitol rally. Subsequently, his friends in the new Lehigh Valley chapter (which includes former Philly PB’s) are attempting to “retcon” the day and claiming that Rehl attended their uneventful rally in Harrisburg at the same time.

Richard Schwetz, President of Lehigh Valley Proud Boys, lying on Parler (rip lol) about Zach Rehl and other PB’s attending their Harrisburg rally on January 6th. Not only is Rehl not in this picture, but NONE of the PB’s pictured and filmed with Rehl that day are present.

 

Unfortunately for Zach, he and other Philly PB’s were spotted by several live streamers during the day, and were filmed by the Daily Show as they departed from the Washington monument (around 1:50, it’s brief but Rehl, Biggs, and Ethan “Rufio Panman” Nordean are visible leading the formation). In the video embedded below, Rehl becomes visible around the 24 second mark.

Rehl and Biggs leading a large contingent of Proud Boys. Note that the organized PBs were not wearing colors at all. Was the plan always “blame Antifa?”

Biggs issuing orders.

Rehl, Biggs and the organized Proud Boy contingent is also seen in this video posted by NowThisNews in which Journalist Sandi Bachom observed the PB’s as they left the Washington Monument chanting “Fuck Antifa.” Rehl is visible around the 53 second mark. He pulls up a mask when he sees that he’s being filmed. Biggs is nearby in the shot as well.

In the video above, Rehl and Biggs are visible as the Proud Boys contingent arrives at the Capitol.

That doesn’t look like Harrisburg, Zach.

Rehl himself posted a (now deleted) video from DC. Here he is announcing being in DC on his Parler:

Frankly, it’s such a transparent lie it’s surprising. It’s unknown whether Zach is trying to protect himself and his boys from prosecution, or protect the Proud Boys’ brand, or is just ashamed that, after all his “back the blue” bullshit, he participated in an attack that killed a Trump-supporting cop, pretty much the only group of people Zach ever extends basic respect or humanity.

Probably feels like a long time ago to Zach Rehl, Sonny Sullivan and Aaron Wolkind of the Philly Proud Boys

Fascist Jovi Val Spotted In Philadelphia

from Twitter

Jovi Val, a fascist troll from NYC with Proud Boy affiliations, was spotted in Philly with the “New Jersey European Heritage Association” putting up Nazi shit outside of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He’s the Nazi on the left with the beige scarf around his face.

Here’s just one of many times where New Yorkers weren’t having any of Jovi’s shit:
Jovi Val seems to be in Philly a lot lately. He is pictured here in the skull mask right after the election, along with NYC Proud Boy James Zgorzelski (in the red MAGA hat).

Thomas J. Louden, Bucks County Civilian Defense Force Militia Leader of Pekasie, PA

from It’s Going Down

AntiFash Gordon has identified Thomas Louden, a volunteer firefighter and director of managed care at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia. He also serves as Batallion Chief of the Sellersville Fire Department and Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator of Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania. This summer, Louden posted about looking to join a militia and hinted that the right should be prepared to violently defend itself from socialists. By September he was head of the Bucks County Civillian Defense Force Militia, posting about recruiting a sniper. Since then, his violent rhetoric has only escalated and he frequently encourages armed responses to leftist activity. Louden is heavily armed, trains multiple times a week, and should be considered a danger to the community. See the full thread below:

from Twitter

Meet Thomas J. Louden of Pekasie, PA.

He’s a volunteer firefighter and Director of Managed Care at @TJUHospital in Philadelphia.

But as “Fireeagle,” he’s the head of the Bucks County Civilian Defense Force militia, and spreads violent, racist, and antisemtic conspiracies. ImageImageImageImage

He’s also the Battalion Chief of the @SellersvilleFd and the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator of Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania.

You can email them at info@hilltown.org. Image

He’s also becoming increasingly radicalized in response to the upcoming election.

On June 30 of this year, he started looking for a militia to join, and hinting that he wants to kill anti-racist protesters. ImageImage

By August 28, he was openly calling for the murder of Black Lives Matter activists.

By September, he was talking about “cannon fodder” and “those behind the scenes” who “really need to be stopped,” and invoking the antisemitic “Soros” conspiracy theory. ImageImageImage

And simultaneously, he became the head of a newly formed unit of the Civilian Defense Force, a far-right militia, where he goes by “Commander Fireeagle.” ImageImage
And just days later, he began attempting to recruit a sniper for his militia. Image
This was right around when he stopped using his real name on the militia forum he joined.

Btw, those links are live and resolve to the profile of “Fireeagle.” Image

In June, he was trying to convince the other members of his militia forum that an armed response was needed to a satirical announcement of an antifa-sponsored flag burning. ImageImage
He’s also increasingly active on the Civilian Defense Force forums, where he’s adding contacts at an alarming rate. ImageImage
He’s been training to act on his violent fantasies, too.

He claims to be “hitting the range 4 times a week and flying at least 100 rounds each session.” Image

And he’s well-stocked on guns, too.

He claims to concealed carry a Sig Sauer P320x, and keeps a Beretta 92F at the ready. He also owns an Armalite AR, but doesn’t specify which kind. (Pictured is an Armalite AR-10.) ImageImageImageImage

So how’d we find his real identity?

On the Civilian Defense Force forums, he notes that he’s in Bucks County, PA, and that he’s a volunteer firefighter. And the Deputy EMC for his township.

But that still doesn’t tell us *which* town he lives in. Image

A quick Google search of “fireeagle” and “Pennsylvania” brought me to a Corvette stingray forum, where a user with that screen name (who also claimed to be a volunteer firefighter) posted a picture with a house number visible, but no town. Image
On the same forum, a picture of his car won the December 2019 photo contest.

Do you see what I saw? Image

Hacker voice: Computer, enhance.

We see a sign for a cross street. The top sign is illegible, but the bottom reads “VICTORIA LN.” Image

So I went to the Bucks County property records site, to see exactly how many Victoria Lanes there were in the district.

Three towns have a Victoria Lane– Chalfont, Levittown, and Perkasie.

A quick look on showed me the Victoria Lanes, so I checked for any intersecting streets that have the same number referenced in the photo from tweet 13 in this thread.

(I can’t give it out on Twitter– that’s a violation of Twitter’s policies.)

I compared the photo he posted with the Google Street View image of the house matching that number.

Huh.

Same garage, outdoor lighting, porch pillars, and bush. ImageImage

So then I checked the property records and saw that it’s owned by a Thomas J. Louden of Pekasie, Pennsylvania, and his wife.
On his militia forum, “Fireeagle” gives his location as Hilltown Township, PA, just five miles from Perkasie, PA.

(The latitude/longitude is not his home, just the location of the town center.) Image

And remember, he introduced himself as the “Deputy EMC for my township for over 15 years.” Image
On his LinkedIn profile, he kindly lists that he’s the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for Hilltown Township, PA. ImageImage
Anyway, @TJUHospital, your Director of Managed Care, Thomas Louden, is leading a far-right militia chapter and spreading rumors about “ANTIFA” who had been “trained by radical Islam” who planned on “killing as many Trump supporters and whites as possible!!” Image
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that @TJUHospital has the leader of a far-right militia working as their Director of Managed Care, given that they tried to deport one of their own patients, as @aurabogado reported in June.

So @TJUHospital, think about whether or not you want to have a heavily armed wingnut like Thomas J. Louden, aka “Commander Fireeagle” of the Citizens Defense Force in your offices, as he’s recruiting snipers for his militia.

Did We Hit a Nerve? Philly Proud Boys Interrupt Teach-In About Them – Then Left Antifa to Continue

from Idavox

This all stems from them being clowned for not showing up at a rally they announced. It’s ironic that the Philadelphia is in the Keystone State because the Philly Proud Boys are the Keystone Cops of that entire crew!

PHILADELPHIA, PA – “One thing you can guarantee (is) we will show up, motherfucker!”

That was a declaration from one of the handful of Proud Boys that attempted to disrupt a teach-in organized by the antifascist group Refuse Fascism to address them in the wake of Donald Trump’s call to arms in last week’s Presidential Debate. It was a declaration that came with irony as they did not show up to a rally the Philadelphia Proud Boy chapter called for in a park in West Philadelphia that ended up teeming with residents coming out to oppose neo-Fascist outfit, as well as another announced rally during a anti-mask car caravan in May that the group Refuse Fascism overwhelmed.

Over the past three weeks, that chapter has been attempting to recover from those embarrassments, first with a flash mob rally on Sept. 26 that was a date they once had for a rally but canceled and then with last night’s antics outside Independence Hall as the teach-in was going on.

One People’s Project’s Executive Director Daryle Lamont Jenkins was invited by Refuse Fascism to speak about the Proud Boys. Ironically, it was the fourth anniversary of a pseudo art show in New York City sponsored by neo-Fascist Milo Yiannopoulos that featured supposed art from right wing figures, where one of the Proud Boys’ first appearance was providing security for the event. Jenkins recorded video of them attacking one person they threw out, with Proud Boy founder Gavin McInnes breaking the person’s phone on the ground and chasing him off.

[Video Here]

It was while Jenkins was speaking that about 20 persons, most of them men, approached the teach-in, some carrying weapons, and began berating Jenkins and the group of ten participants that were there. The teach-in then became a real-time lesson as those participants began to berate and record the Proud Boys in return. “We chanted, we circled up to keep each other safe, and three of our leaders spoke to our crowd,” a post on the Refuse Fascism Facebook page read. “We spoke about what these fascists represent with their misogyny, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, American chauvinism and their connection to and worship of power. We spoke about the fact that they exist to intimidate, threaten, and cause pain and that they are already doing this at polling sites in Black, Latinx and Indigenous neighborhoods; protests; and through the media.”

[Instagram Post]

The Proud Boys notably attempted to dissuade the idea that they were not White Supremacists, a charge that has been leveled at them repeatedly particularly since the Presidential Debate. While Proud Boys are indeed a multiracial organization, they have regardless have been condemned in the past for having associations with neo-Nazis and White Supremacists. When the Philly chapter held their flash mob-styled march on Sept. 26, many took notice of who looked to be American Guard’s Brien James amongst them. James has a history spanning three decades as a member of the Ku Klux Klan, the Outlaw Hammerskins, and the organization he founded, the Vinlanders Social Club which boasts its history of assaults and murder. Despite this, some of the Proud Boys attempted to defend him as a friend who has since renounced such beliefs, even though he was a participant in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on August 12 2017 and two months later participated in a Vinlander annual meeting and two months after that paid tribute to Robert Jay Matthews, the leader of the neo-Nazi terrorist group the Order that was responsible for robberies and murders in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1980s.

In 2013, James was in Philadelphia with over fifty neo-Nazis including Matthew Heimbach of the Traditional Workers Party for Keystone United’s annual “Leif Erickson Day Celebration” at a Viking Statue near Fairmount Park that had since been pulled down by unknown persons. That rally was countered by over 200 protesters and since then neo-Fascists have attempted to avoid such confrontations by not announcing the event and holding them at night. It is not known if they will have an event this year.

Of the group that came out Thursday, only one person, an Asian man, seemed to be the only one that wasn’t White.

[Instagram Post]

After about 20 minutes of the exchange that never reached beyond a shouting match, the group retreated toward Market St. and the teach-in continued.

Last year, the Philly Proud Boys were doxed by antifa via a blog titled Doxx Your Local Proud Boy that detailed a number of persons associated with the Proud Boys at the time. Of those profiled was Bruce McClay who at the time was a Lieutenant for the fire department in nearby Havertown, PA. Upon learning of his associations, residents called for his removal, and when the department refused to do so, the town shut down that department which was one of five. McClay resigned within 24 hours. Despite a flyer they attempted to distribute yesterday saying they reject racial division, many of those profiled were shown to harbor racist and bigoted beliefs.

At the time of this posting, the Philadelphia Proud Boys have barely commented on the events of last night.

Philly Proud Boys Rally With North Carolina Proud Boys, American Guard

from It’s Going Down

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

One week after being humiliated at their own rally in Clark Park, where hundreds of counter-protesters gathered to face the fewer than five Proud Boys who managed to turn up for the rally. The Proud Boys who did show up were immediately identified by antifascist researchers, though they attempted to intimidate anti-racist protesters, threatening to dox them and stalking researcher Gwen Snyder’s house, where antifascists had posted guards.

The Philadelphia Proud Boys, led by President Zach Rehl, were joined by members of the North Carolina Proud Boys, as well as Brien James, founder of the Vinlanders Social Club, Outlaw Hammerskins, and the American Guard. James is also a former member of the Ku-Klux-Klan.

This represents an escalation for the Philadelphia Proud Boys. Prior to the summer of 2020, Rehl refused to publicly identify himself as a Proud Boy, telling the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2018 that a Proud Boys rally he organized was simply the members of a Facebook group, “Sports, Beer, and Politics.”

In the Spring of 2019, Rehl was among a group of Proud Boys, American Guard, and militia members who attempted to organize a string of violent rallies across the northeast, trading pictures of the weapons they planned to bring and the specific leftist activists they wished to assault at the rallies. However, the group was stymied when their chats were leaked and the members were doxxed, and the rallies were cancelled.

Far-right Proud Boys march through Center City

from Mainstream Media

The alt-right Proud Boys conducted a march through Center City Saturday with nearly 60 participants, many wearing body armor and helmets, some waving American flags, and occasionally engaging in sharp verbal exchanges with onlookers.

They stopped in front of Independence Hall to sing The Star-Spangled Banner and then proceeded to City Hall, where they posed for a group photo, some displaying a white power sign with their fingers.

On the way there, they crossed paths without incident with the March to End Rape Culture, a protest to raise awareness about rape and express solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Later, the Proud Boys chanted “Back the blue” as they made their way to a parking garage at Penn’s Landing, where police closed off access until members of the group drove off.

The action came a week after the Proud Boys were expected to rally in Clark Park, when instead about 500 counterprotesters showed up to the popular West Philadelphia site in a progressive, racially diverse neighborhood.

Social media posts claimed Proud Boys were present, but were disguised as journalists to gather information about leftist activists.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified the Proud Boys as a “general hate group.”

Philly Proud Boys Are Western Cowards and they Refused to Show Up For Their Own Rally

from Ida Vox

Sept. 19, 2020 – Proud Boys didn’t show to their rally in Clark Park, but we got Gritty!

It’s pretty much a joke at this point to say that if you put together a rally that brings out more opposition than you expected that you were not really coming out anyway. #ProudBoysLie

 

PHILADELPHIA – No one who came out to Clark Park Saturday could be sure that the neo-Fascist Proud Boys would actually come out for the rally they announced just a few weeks ago. The group has never shown a large degree of strength or support in the city, and they were attempting to hold an event in a park that many of those they say they hate regularly frequent. Indeed, a flyer announcing one group’s counter-protest against them indicated what they will do either if they came or if they did not.

In the end there was no Proud Boy rally, and the 500 residents of West Philadelphia who came out took the opportunity to enjoy each others’ company. This neighborhood is regarded as one of the most progressive, racially diverse neighborhoods in the city.

In addition, another rally organized by a group calling itself Italian American Patriots that was to be held at Marconi Park in South Philadelphia at the site of the Christopher Columbus statue two hours before the Clark Park rally was called off on Friday, organizers saying there was no need to hold the rally since everything regarding the fate of the statue is held up in court.

Originally, the Proud Boys announced a rally for Marconi Park next Saturday to coincide with the rally the group was holding in Portland, but many in the Philadelphia chapter may reportedly travel to Portland for that rally, changing plans. In fact they attempted to make their absence look like a planned thing all along saying that they never intended to rally at the park but wanted to be there to dox everyone that showed up. This account was played up on right wing websites and other media outlets, particularly in an a Gateway Pundit article written by Cassandra Fairbanks, a longtime associate in “alt-right” circles. A post on the Philadelphia Proud Boys Telegram account specifically noted otherwise. however. “Due to conflicts with the Portland Rally the event for the 26th has been moved to the 19th,” the post notes. “We need all available patriots to show up for the rally on the 19th, as we march into the Belly of the Beast to demand an end to them terrorizing our communities.”

Proud Boy supporters, including one on another telegram account, expressed their anger over the possibility that if this was indeed an attempt to prank people to come out to the park to oppose them, such a move put them at risk in what was expected to be a volatile situation for them. One supporter said he even went to the rally and left after not seeing any Proud Boys present. Indeed, two individuals in the crowd were identified as Proud Boy associates, and they quickly left.

In January 2019, the New Jersey European Heritage Association announced a rally in Princeton, NJ and when they failed to show, they too attempted to explain away their no-show by saying it was a prank of some sort.

Instead of confronting hatemongers, those who came out to the park heard speeches from community leaders and local politicians. “Clark Park remains a place where folks from all walks of life come to recreate and to convene and to just be,” City Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier, who represents the neighborhood, said to the crowd in a speech that addressed racial injustice. “If these Boys come here today, they’re going to go home to their miserable lives, but we will still have work to do.” Some attendees made the event a jovial one, bringing games and musical instruments, while many came out to remember those innocent Black men and women that were murdered by police across the country, with one group led by the Rev. Jeffrey Jordan of the Whomsoever Metropolitan Church presenting and installation called the “Last Word of the Unarmed.” where seven signs bearing the last words of Eric Garner, George Floyd and Elijah McClain. Breonna Taylor’s sign was marked with just quotation marks, noting how she might not have been able to speak before being shot and killed by police. Others simply appreciated the chance to meet people and forge relationships.

YouTuber Jame Klug with a sign he no longer posseses, and his partner, former Middle East Forum Communications Director Lisa Reynolds-Barbounis.

There were a few skirmishes, such as one person some said had a gun that was chased out of the park, and another with a right wing YouTuber from California named James Klug who was there carrying a sign declaring Donald Trump to not be a racist which prompted rally attendees to confront him snatch his sign and eventually eject him from the park to a nearby corner where he remained for the rest of the rally. He came with Lisa Reynolds-Barbounis who ran video for him and was also a part of the scuffle that ensued with the crowd. Reynolds-Barbounis was until August 2019, the Director of Communications for the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum (MEF), the Islamophobic organization founded by Daniel Pipes that promotes the idea that Muslims are a threat to Western civilization and is a major source of Islamophobic propaganda and false information about Muslims. In December, the MEF filed a lawsuit that is reportedly still pending against Reynolds-Barbounis alleging breach of contract, computer fraud and abuse charging further that she forwarded their proprietary information, trade secrets, donor lists and business relationships to an email account not associated with the organization.

Reynolds-Barbounis was working with the MEF when they worked to bring Steven Yaxley-Lennon, aka “Tommy Robinson” of the Islamophobic and neo-Fascist English Defence League (EDL), to the US to speak with congressional leaders. Similar to the Proud Boys, many leaders of the EDL has had associations with neo-Nazis including Yaxley-Lennon himself who was a member of British National Party. Reynolds-Barbounis has a link in her Twitter description to a Tommy Robinson-related website.

In addition to the Portland rally, the Proud Boys say they will rally in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 3