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Published on October 06, 2024
Swastika Incident on St. Louis Interstate Sparks Police Scrutiny and Public Outrage Following Neo-Nazi Group's Overpass RallySource: Missouri Department of Transportation

Overpass demonstrations in the St. Louis area took a concerning turn this weekend as a neo-Nazi group was seen on an overpass along Interstate 64 in Town and Country. Witnesses reported individuals dressed in black and wearing masks, displaying flags with swastikas, a symbol associated with the Third Reich.

The police were quick to respond, with Town and Country law enforcement authorities acknowledging the presence of the group and ensuring that they were closely monitoring to maintain public safety. However, they also affirmed the group's constitutional rights. "We’ve had police there just monitoring the situation. We haven’t seen anything safety wise, that would cause us alarming. It’s not really stalling traffic," Lt. Dan Dubbleston told FOX 2. Despite the group's brief appearance, the incident raised enough concern to prompt several calls to local authorities.

The group, which refused to disclose its identity to media, also displayed a banner with a white supremacist statement, according to reports from First Alert 4. This message drew quick criticism from the public, with several viewers reaching out to newsrooms to express their disapproval of the display. The timing of the demonstration was particularly controversial, occurring just after the Jewish New Year and leading up to the anniversary of last year's terror attack on Israel.

The Anti-Defamation League was one of the organizations that criticized the display, with a spokesperson noting the troubling rise of anti-Semitism in recent years. "Multiple people who contacted the 5 On Your Side newsroom condemned the hate symbols," a representative for the league explained, and noted that the swastika has become synonymous with anti-Semitism, and white supremacy — despite its origins in religious and cultural symbolism, according to KSDK.

Despite no immediate threats to safety being reported, the Town and Country Police Department advised drivers to proceed with caution through the affected area while they continued to monitor the situation. The group departed from the overpass before 3 p.m. yesterday, as noted in the updates provided by media outlets.