Nazis take an L at Livingston, Bozeman Pride events

Local queers stand proud against regional white supremacists

“Fuck off, Nazis!” happened in Bozeman, Montana. Pic by: Charlene Sleeper

I was preparing to do a Drag Queen Story Hour event at the Country Bookstore in Bozeman, Mont. when messages started comeing some 20 Nazis yelling racist nonsense and carrying signs of a similar nature were spotted and headed toward us.

They also bizarrely walked around obsessively yelling about "pedophiles" while carrying a massive sign seeming to advertising it.

Lulz. Northwest Nationalist Network chuds be like….

I'd actually been expecting them to make their way from Livingston, Mont. some 25 miles away where they'd already annoyed locals earlier that morning.

Livingston—who'd been expecting them—had just days prior enacted a code so they weren't allowed near the drag queen story hour door.

“GTFO, Nazis.” Sincerely, Livingston, Montana.

So as they stopped in front of the Country Bookstore in downtown Bozeman and Indigenous, Black, and people of color, LGBTQ, drag queens, kings, and allies formed a human wall of solidarity against hate.

Inside, we drag queens and kings were told if these Nazis somehow made it through, here were the possible emergency exits.

I'd always thought wondered what'd it'd be like to share art while Nazis and white nationalists were spreading hate just outside a venue—admiring the bravery of drag queens who'd gone right on ahead and combatted such hate by sharing the magic of literature while wearing colorful, fun costumes and attire—now here I was.

I kept my calm and composure as to comfort the other performers with me and vice versa; we wanted to maintain a vibe of serenity in contrast to the vulgarians outside who sought to silence our voices and terrify children.

Fact is, some of these Nazis probably know who I am seeing as I've written about white nationalists a lot, and I'm no doubt a scourge to their moronic operations. See:

You kiss your mother with that mouth?!

One friend outside—who'd been part of a human wall protecting us and more on that later—said all they could think was, "Do not come outside, Adria. Do not come outside, Adria..." in case they recognized me.

But as a pacifist, I certainly had no intent to engage them. I only had a story I wanted to share with children regarding an upcoming book I'd written called, The Boy Who Never Had a Birthday, which was a true story about a girl on my Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in the 1960s who'd given her little brother his first birthday party at the age of 5.

In other words, I was there to spread joy, love, and the love values of family through the power of story—not engage with bigots.

Still, when you don't have much of an idea what's going on and you have to consider emergency exits because 20-something Nazis (or possibly someone with a gun) may or may not barge through the door with you and your friends as primary targets, you know shit is real....

We introduced ourselves, and I—wearing an elf ‘drag’ costume—introduced myself as Annastasia. I pretended to hop on the book shelf behind me and said, “I am also an Elf onna book shelf!

"Ermagherd! The Nazis finally found me!😢 And they're lit-tral-lee outside! Save meee!"

As one drag performer taught the audience how to say a few words in sign language before doing their reading, we could hear the faint, telltale sound of the Nazis siren on their bullhorn outside as they began to read their children's book.

I relayed messages to comrades on what I was told and what I heard from what little I knew was going on from inside the building.

It got very loud for a few moments, making everyone visibly anxious, but I recognized the chanting to be counterprotestors against the Nazis saying, “We are here, we are queer!”

Notes from the field as commotion reigned supreme outside.

Suddenly, there was calm.

After a couple of my friends came in, I knew the Nazis had left.

I would share the story of The Boy Who Never Had a Birthday in peace.

Love and art had won. Hate and ignorance had lost.

Pic by: Charlene Sleeper

Pictured: Colorful drag queen spreading joy to children. Not pictured: the vile, hateful, violent mob of Nazis outside who'd scared those kids.

Violent, regional Nazis drowned out by Montana LGBTQ community

While it was confirmed with certainty Montana Nazis—who'd been doing cringe demonstrations throughout Montana—planned to target a Drag Queen Story Hour in Livingston with a larger than normal crew of flunkies, it was only presumed they'd then make their way to Bozeman which they obviously did.

Coincidentally, Antifascists had just finished a report on the Evergreen Active Club out of Washington state who counted Daniel Rowe amongst them.

Speaking of boneheads…

Now, here he was, in Bozeman, Montana.

Rowe stands out from other fascists in that he makes little attempt to shield his identity with a mask as other Nazis do, so he was immediately recognized while wearing his Evergreen Active Club colors.

Pictured: Daniel Rowe looking like the Captain of the SS Douchecanoe.

Oh, and he's also not only a racist bigot, but a renowned violent racist bigot who once stabbed an interracial couple.

Nice knife, Daniel. You even allowed to have that?

They had joined forces with local Montana-based Big Sky Active Club and White Lives Matter chuds, with the former recently joining the so-called Northwest Nationalist Network.

It must be noted the Big Sky Active Club oft shares related White Lives Matter Montana propaganda stating a genocidal desire to eradicate non-whites from North America, Europe and Australia.

WLM and BSAC chuds at another LGBTQ event in Missoula back in March supporting Montana GOP polices.

Active Clubs are part of what are known as White Supremacy 3.0, as in the old school, thuggish, openly skinheads are considered “White Supremacy 1.0."

So-called White Supremacy 2.0, or the “alt-right”—a phrase coined by Richard Spencer of Whitefish, Montana—grew popular around 2015.

As such, “White Supremacy 3.0” is about action beyond computer screens and mean-spirited memes, and “Active Clubs” took their inspiration from the Rise Above Movement that Pro Publica describes as “a successor to the volatile and hyper-aggressive skinhead gangs that were prevalent during the 1980s and 1990s.”

Three members of the Rise Above Movement plead guilty in federal courts to conspiracy to riot during at Charlottesville, and leader Rob Rundo was arrested on federal charges on March 31st of this year in Romania for his alleged part.

Rise Above Movement member Ryan Sanchez, left in German Nazi coat, poses with Rep. Matt Rosendale.

While using the innocuous popularity of MMA fighting, so-called White Supremacy 3.0 groups strive to offer disillusioned men a brotherhood and greater purpose with “accelerationist” tactics.

Big Sky Active chuds attend every gay event. Curious.

But the end message is a more sinister and escalated rabbit hole of diving headfirst into openly celebrating Nazi ideals.

Hitler worship is cringe, my dudes.

Another out-of-state participants recognized was Chris Mack who from Washington to watch Montana queers mockingly dance in front of their ridiculous pEdopHiLes.flag.

Sebastian “Cleetus Montana” Campbell (who currently resides in Butte), Rowe, and Chris Mack.

Dancing: a highly effective technique against the fascists because it short circuits their already very limited brainwaves.

Another local present include the aformementioned Big Sky Active Club members and the cartoonishly Nazi Andrew "Sal" Salacinksi who currently lives in Billings, Montana and works at COP Construction.

W…t…f at this guy. Ikriiiight???

As the Nazis made their way way to try and intimidate little kids and families enjoying people in colorful costumes reading books, they were visibly upset when someone suggested they were incels.

Pictured: Incel terrified of Montana woman.

They also appeared to be very triggered by unicorns. Pics by Charlene Sleeper.

One of the Nazis was said to have hit a woman with their flag, and a scuffle nearly broke out a block before they arrived at the Country Bookstore. Tensions ran high. "Fuck off, Nazis!" was heard.

A police officer told an Indigiqueer that "Both sides needed to sit down and talk it out," as if we queers had asked for them to show up calling us pedophiles with huge signs while also shouting for our deaths.😒

bOtH siDeS aRe tHe sAmE!

In front of the bookstore, the Nazis called everyone totally original slurs like "f*ggot," and another fight nearly broke out when Nazis tried to push a man out of the way who was merely standing there with his back turned.

More anti-Nazis protestors gathered in front of the door, blocking the entrance as the fascists spoke in their tired, broken record language obsessing about "groomers" until it became eyerolling-inducing white noise to everyone who walked by.

Finally, a local drag queen and Bozeman Pride organizer helping to hold the line grew tired of their nonsense and started chanting, "We are here, we are queer!" along with clacking of handheld fans until it became so loud that I heard it inside at the back of the store.

“We are here, we are queer!” chant begins.

When I fully realized that the chant was from "my side,” I remember smiling and having to hold back tears of joy.

After several minutes the Nazis—relegated to only sounding off their lame siren in response—dejectedly left in retreat, and a collective cheer made Bozeman proud.

After watching a livestream of all this unfold later on, I finally and unashamedly let those held back tears become joyous rain.🥲

God damn, you people were so beautiful.🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Nea'ese (thank you) for keeping us safe, fam.

~Adria

⬋⬋⬋