SoutholdLocal

“Responding to Charlottesville, residents plan to gather in Mitchell Park tonight to stand against extremism”

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Sonia Spar of Southold, who works for the Anti-Defamation League and is co-chairperson of the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force, said the ADL has been “following the rise of extremist groups for the past two years.” They have been “emboldened and feel empowered,” she said.

“It’s not just the KKK,” she said. “The whole white supremacist-extremist ideology is being rebranded.” And it is finding new support among youth.

“It was deeply troubling the ages of the people marching yesterday,” Spar said. “The faces of the people marching for white nationalism were in their early 20s. The person who rammed the crowd with the car is 20 years old.” James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

White nationalism is something that everyone must condemn, Spar said.

“The moral voice of everyone at every single level is important, not just our political leadership, not just our clergy, but every single one of us must stand up against hatred. That’s why this rally is important,” she said.

“Our children are watching and we need to send them a clear message,” Spar said.