An event believed to be linked to white nationalist sentiments took place on a busy overpass close to London, Ontario’s downtown on Sunday afternoon, causing concern among witnesses and experts monitoring extremist activities. Dave Vermue, a local resident, recounted his shock upon encountering around 30 masked men in black attire, waving flags on the Wortley Road overpass while he was driving along Horton Street. The group displayed a banner with the slogan “remigration now,” accompanied by the Canadian Red Ensign flag, the flag of Ontario, and the flag of the white supremacist nationalist group known as Second Sons Canada.
Vermue, who captured the demonstration on his vehicle’s dash camera, expressed his unease with the scene, likening it to a display reminiscent of Nazi stormtroopers. He emphasized his disapproval of the group’s public demonstration in what he perceived to be a military propaganda style, despite acknowledging their right to express their views.
Second Sons, led by Jeremy MacKenzie, who also founded the extremist organization Diagolon, has been scrutinized by the RCMP for its activities. The group is part of a network of white nationalist clubs that engage in combat training under the belief of an impending race war, as highlighted by CBC News investigations.
These groups often conceal their identities, using tactics like wearing masks and covering tattoos, with some resorting to Nazi symbolism for anonymity. The seemingly benign message of “remigration now” used by these groups, including Second Sons, according to Hazel Woodrow of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN), masks a more extreme agenda aiming at ethnic cleansing and the forced removal of non-white individuals.
Woodrow suggested a connection between the Dominion Society and Second Sons, with the former serving as the political arm of the network. The London Police Service acknowledged the protest on Sunday, noting the group’s brief presence without any incidents. Reports indicate that Second Sons conducted combat training before the protest at Westminster Ponds in the city.
The Dominion Society advocates for remigration as a means to prevent Canadians from becoming a minority, proposing extreme measures such as suspending permanent immigration, mass deportations, and making Canada less welcoming to immigrants. Woodrow warned that this ideology has gained momentum in southern Ontario and beyond, facilitated by social media, which has fueled the growth of the organized white nationalist movement in Canada.
Vermue expressed his hope to never witness such events again, citing personal connections to historical conflicts and his strong aversion to the presence of such groups in his community.