Neo-Nazi Group Filmed Making Nazi Salutes During Drag Story Hour Event

A group of neo-Nazis attempted to intimidate patrons attending a drag story hour in New Hampshire by making Nazi salutes and chanting “Off our streets” outside a cafe where the event was being held.

A video taken during the event, which took place at an LGBTQ-owned coffee shop in Concord on Sunday, shows over a dozen men wearing masks, sunglasses, baseball caps and matching shirts and pants.

The group can be seen performing Nazi salutes in unison while shouting “sieg heil,” a victory chant used in Nazi Germany. One can be seen banging on the cafe’s window and the group then chant “Off our streets.”

State officials said NSC-131, a neo-Nazi group based in New England, had claimed responsibility for the protest. NSC stands for the Nationalist Social Club.

Drag story hours have been targeted by conservatives and far-right activists across the U.S. as part of their attempts to smear the LGBTQ+ community.

The 31-second clip has been viewed more than 6.6 million times as of Thursday afternoon.

We've been hosting shows + story hours for a decade. We're going to host them for decades to come.

Despite this hate filled disruption, @TeatotallerTea was not deterred.

Shout out to @JuicyGarland for their composure + craft and to @LiamMagan for running a smooth + safe event. https://t.co/YeV9VKBAzb

— Emmett Soldati (@EmmettSoldati) June 19, 2023

Drag queen Juicy Garland, who attended the event, told Newsweek: “Despite the unprovoked threat of violence and disruption, we were able to make sure that the kids who attended were safe and their families were comfortable.

“We still had our full story hour, which was centered on families as it took place on Father’s Day. We do this to share positivity and inclusion with the community of Concord, NH. I love promoting literacy to kids. Nothing could have made me want to do this more.”

Teatotaller Cafe owner Emmett Soldati told Newsweek: “Teatotaller is proud to be NH’s queer hipster oasis. For the last decade, we’ve hosted events for all ages that have been embraced by the Seacoast and now our Concord community.

“These includes countless drag shows and story hours that are always a big hit. These events provide fun, safe, and educational experiences for everyone as well as opportunities for local drag performers.

“Only recently has there emerged a small band of self-identified white supremacists who have disrupted these events to gain clout. They have not and will not deter us from continuing to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all Granite Staters to be proud of and recognize they belong here. The community support makes us stronger. We look forward to seeing folks at our next show.”

Soldati took to Twitter to say that the cafe has hosted shows and story hours for a decade and that he intends “to host them for decades to come.”

New Hampshire Department of Justice spokesperson Michael Garrity told New Hampshire Public Radio that an investigation into the far-right activists had been launched.

He added: “Our Civil Rights Unit is certainly aware of this incident and is actively working with Concord Police and our law enforcement partners to look into it further.”