Virginia Beach police confirmed Tuesday that a white nationalist march over Memorial Day weekend did not require a permit, sparking outrage from civil rights leaders and questions about enforcement of the state's mask law.
Video obtained by WAVY shows roughly 30 individuals wearing matching clothing and white masks, carrying Confederate flags and banners associated with Patriot Front, a group the Southern Poverty Law Center designates as a white nationalist hate group. The march took place near the Naval Aviation Monument on 38th Street in the Oceanfront district.
Police say they monitored the group and determined there was no public safety threat. According to authorities, no permit was needed because the group did not block roadways, complied with the law, and its size did not meet the threshold for requiring one.
But the NAACP Virginia Beach chapter pushed back, arguing the city downplayed the incident. Chapter President Eric Majette said the march was “designed to intimidate” and that many residents felt unsafe. “What was the motive for being there? Were they trying to make a statement or send us a signal of what’s to come?” Majette asked.
Virginia law makes it unlawful for anyone over 16 to wear a mask or face covering with intent to conceal identity. When asked why marchers weren't charged under the statute, police said the group was treated like any other political demonstrator exercising First Amendment rights. “In this recent case, the involved group would have been treated no differently than we have treated prior groups wearing masks,” the department said in a statement.
Mayor Bobby Dyer denounced the group’s ideology but noted the march was peaceful. “Every city’s going to handle situations differently,” Dyer said. “This group came, we didn’t know about it and it was peaceful.”
Georgia F. Allen, first vice president of the Virginia Beach NAACP, said the chapter fears the march could become a pattern. “We’re concerned about this becoming a pattern or practice,” she said.
The incident comes amid broader national debates over extremist activity and public safety. In recent months, similar concerns have emerged in other contexts, such as the US strike on a suspected narco-vessel and the controversy over DOJ funding for police reform.
Majette urged city leaders to take the march seriously. “Moments like these, we shouldn’t downplay it,” he said. “There were a lot of people afraid.”
