Detroiters had a message for white supremacists who came to the city over the weekend: Get the fuck out.
The America First Political Conference (AFPAC), which is led by white nationalist Nicholas Fuentes, organized several events in Detroit to coincide with another right-wing convention that was held at downtown’s Huntington Place. That event, the People’s Convention, was hosted by Turning Point Action, an arm of the far-right organization TPUSA and brainchild of right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk.
The groups have been feuding over Israel. Fuentes — an admitted chauvinist and antisemite who previously said, “I’m just like Hitler” — believes Turning Point is too supportive of Israel.
Fuentes planned to hold his white nationalist America First Political Conference (AFPAC) at the Russell Industrial Center in Detroit on Friday. Fuentes said on social media that he reserved space at the center, but it appears he misled the Detroit institution about the type of event he was holding.
The center kicked the group out as AFPAC was setting up a stage.
Detroit police were called to the Russell Industrial Center to ensure no violence broke out.
“We basically just stood by,” Cpl. Don Donakowski tells Metro Times. “The people from the Russell Industrial Center shut it down. We were just standing by to make sure everything went smoothly and to keep the peace.”
Fuentes and his fans, including longtime Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, then rallied outside Huntington Place to complain about getting kicked out of the Russell Industrial Center.
“I support Nick and all his work … and all the people who are working to save our country and save us from Jewish supremacism. We’re being genocided just like the Palestinians,” Duke says in a video shared on X.
Fuentes fans call themselves “groypers,” which refers to a far-right meme based on a cartoon of a giant toad.
Later, Fuentes and his fans shuffled into Exodos, a club in Greektown, where violence broke out. AFPAC set up a stage with a podium and a banner that featured lightning bolts resembling the SS Bolts, a Nazi symbol.
According to social media posts, a Black security guard was berated and struck with cups and liquids.
“Fuck you,” the crowd chanted at the security guard.
When one of them slapped off the guard’s hat, he sprang into the air and punched one of the Fuentes fans, who goes by SNEAKO on X, chipping his tooth. It appears SNEAKO assaulted the guard first by knocking off his hat.
Dude was wylin pic.twitter.com/y4HjFEKYRH
— tommy (@tmybdmn) June 16, 2024
The Superman punch made the rounds on social media and was compared to another celebrated “Nazi punch” that became famous when a protester struck white nationalist Richard Spencer in the face.
“You just became a part of history,” @NW_StayDetr said on X. “this shit right here .. is uncut dope.”
X user The Iron Mic, who posted videos of the event at Exodus, cheered the punch.
“SNEAKO & crew came to DETROIT, fucked around and found out,” he wrote. “his fool caught the Monument to Joe Louis IRON ‘FIST’ flying super man punch to the FACE.”
🚨Breaking NEWS🚨
Neo Nazi Christian Nationalists getting thrown around, manhandled and slapped dafuq up!
Nick called the security “boy”, thugs threw liquid and cups at them, rushed the DJ booth, slapped his hat, and found dafuq out!
Watching GROYPERS get slapped, bullied,… pic.twitter.com/C0rEcUYqvy
— The IRON MIC (@DetroitShowtyme) June 16, 2024
On X, Sneako complained that the security guard “sabotaged the event and turned off the mic.”
“Started playing music and taunting the guests,” SNEAKO wrote. “He punched me and fell over. Chipped tooth. No big deal. America First. Israel Last.”
Before the event was shut down, Fuentes delivered a speech in which he mocked the People’s Convention for supporting Israel.
“And we’re like, it’s America first, bitch!” Fuentes said.
The crowd began chanting, “Fuck off Jew.”
At the end of the speech, he asked his fans to raise their right hand.
“I solemnly swear that I’ll put America first, and I’ll put Israel last every single time,” Fuentes said. “Because Christ is our king. Amen.”
Metro Times couldn’t reach Exodos for comment.
“WELCOME TO DETROIT,” The Iron Mic tweeted. “Now go home before it gets too crazy!”