Hate Group Gathers Outside Performance of "The Diary of Anne Frank"
November 11, 2024
Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com.
Another neo-Nazi-type gathering in Howell over the weekend. It happened outside American Legion Post 141, where the Fowlerville Community Theatre was performing "The Diary of Anne Frank."
The Legion's Bobby Brite condemned their actions in a video posted to Facebook Saturday evening, which is linked below.
"We do have a lot of Americans that have fought and died to preserve our way of life. Of course, we believe in the Constitution. That being said, we are certainly against all acts of extremism, acts of hate and hate groups," said Brite.
The Livingston County Sheriff's Office issued a release saying. "It is reported that 5 demonstrators, wearing face masks, had pulled into the American Legion parking lot to demonstrate against the fact that a play of Anne Frank was taking place. The demonstrators were asked to leave the property and did."
The demonstrators then went across the street and waved flags adorned with Nazi insignia. A subject then approached them, and an argument ensued. Nothing physical transpired and ultimately the parties involved separated.
The cast and audience were notified of the protesters during intermission, according to a Facebook post from the Fowlerville Community Theatre.
"As a theatre, we are storytellers. We tell stories that transport audiences to different times and places- some real, some fantastical," the post read. "This production centers on real people who lost their lives in the Holocaust, and we have endeavored to tell their story with as much realism as possible. On Saturday evening, things became more real than we expected; the presence of protesters outside gave us a small glimpse of the fear and uncertainty felt by those in hiding. As a theatre, we want to make people feel and think. We hope by presenting Anne's story, we can help prevent the atrocities of the past from happening again."
The play went on throughout the weekend, as planned, without further incident.
Deputies continued to patrol the area for the remainder of the weekend and no further issues occurred.