Thomas Ryan Rousseau is the founder and leader of the Patriot Front, and masked members of the group were seen marching in Washington, D.C., during America’s 250th Independence Day celebrations on July 4. Videos and photos showed dozens of men wearing matching outfits and face masks carrying flags through parts of the capital. The march drew attention because the Patriot Front has been widely characterized as a white nationalist group by groups that track extremism. Rousseau founded the organization in 2017 and has since been its most high-profile public figure.
Who is Thomas Ryan Rousseau?
Thomas Ryan Rousseau is a Texas native, born in 1998 and raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His involvement in far-right activities began while he was in high school, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
He later joined the white nationalist group American Vanguard and became one of its prominent young leaders. Rousseau has largely avoided giving public interviews for years, but his name has become closely associated with Patriot Front activities across the United States.
How did Thomas Ryan Rousseau found the Patriot Front?
patriot The front was formed shortly after the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The rally became nationally famous after violence broke out and counter-protester Heather Heyer was killed.
Due to disagreements within the American Vanguard, Rousseau broke away and formed the Patriot Front. Researchers who study extremist movements say the new group retains many of the same ideas but renames itself after patriotic imagery, American symbols and organized public demonstrations.
What does the Patriot Front say and why are critics worried?
On its website, the Patriot Front believes that democracy has failed America and advocates a version of it American Identity is closely tied to European ancestry. Groups such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Southern Poverty Law Center label the Patriot Front a white supremacist organization.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the group claims to be patriotic while promoting exclusionary views about who can be considered an American. The group is known for distributing literature, hanging banners and conducting elaborate marches in public places.
Thomas Ryan Rousseau and the 4th of July March on Washington
Rousseau was photographed with Patriot Front members at a demonstration in Washington on Saturday. Video of the event showed marchers holding American and Confederate flags while chanting slogans such as “Liberate America.”
The Metropolitan Police told the media it was monitoring the event and said it supported people’s right to express their views peacefully while maintaining public safety. No arrests were reported in connection with the march. The event took place as large crowds gathered in the capital to celebrate commemorations 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
