Viral mugshots falsely linked to July 6 Nashville march | Fact check
The claim: Post shows men involved in July 6 Nashville march
A July 8 Threads post (direct link, archive link) shows a collection of men's mugshots alongside a list of dozens of names.
"UNMASKED!" reads the post's caption. ️"You wouldn't take your hoods off in Nashville on Saturday, so I did. You're welcome Nazis."
The post was reposted more than 100 times in three days. Similar versions of the claim were also shared on Threads.
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Our rating: False
The post shows the mugshots and names of 31 men who were arrested after an incident in Idaho in 2022. No arrests have been made following a white nationalist march in Nashville in July as of July 10.
Nashville demonstrators not pictured in post
A group of masked white nationalists, known as the Patriot Front, marched in Nashville on July 6 with Confederate and upside-down American flags. The group chanted "Sieg Heil," according to a statement released by the Tennessee Democratic Party. The German phrase was used by the Nazis and means "hail victory."
The mayor's office confirmed that the men did not receive a permit to march that day. U-Haul spokesperson Jeff Lockridge said the company would be investigating the men's violation of the company's rental agreement after the group was seen exiting U-Haul vehicles.
But Don Aaron, a spokesperson for the Nashville Police Department, told USA TODAY that no arrests had been made as of July 10, and, therefore, no information about the men involved had been publicly released.
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The men pictured in the Threads post are members of the Patriot Front who were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in June 2022. The group was found packed into a U-Haul truck with riot gear near a park where a Pride celebration was taking place, according to the Idaho Press.
Their mugshots and names were published by numerous outlets following their arrests, and they were each charged by local prosecutors with conspiracy to riot by disturbing the peace.
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Our fact-check sources:
Don Aaron, July 10, Email exchange with USA TODAY
CBS News, June 14, 2022, FBI assisting investigation of alleged white nationalists accused of planning riot at Idaho Pride event
Idaho Capital Sun, Feb. 12, How North Idaho prosecutors lost the case against Patriot Front’s white nationalist leader
Idaho Press, Nov. 29, 2022, Patriot Front member pleads guilty to disturbing the peace
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Names of men involved in Nashville march not released | Fact check
