COLUMBUS, Ohio — Donte Bell and Dwight Holland were enjoying the Ohio State football game on Saturday afternoon when they started hearing loud racial slurs coming from outside their home in the Short North.
They walked out to North High Street and were met by a group of men dressed in all black, with red skull masks on their faces, carrying flags with swastikas. Holland began taking video and captured the group yelling racial slurs at him and Bell.
“Most of them are cowards, they don’t want to show their faces, like the KKK, they wear the hoods, it is 2024,” said Holland, in shock by what he saw.
They called police, hoping they could do something.
“You don’t deserve to be out on the street with all your racial bigotry,” Holland said.
Police later confronted the group on West Goodale Street. As of Saturday evening, police said no arrests were made and there were no reports of any injuries.
Holland and Bell believe the group crossed the line when it comes to freedom of speech.
“All the racial s--- is really redundant if you think about it because we been doing it for years,” Bell said.
State and city leaders including Gov. Mike Dewine and Mayor Andrew Ginther condemned the neo-Nazis.
Ginther said he would work with Columbus police to monitor the situation to “ensure the safety and security of our city.”
Bell and Holland hope to see consequences for the group.
“I just want us to all be peaceful we can all be peaceful and love each other if we learn to respect each other,” Bell said.