Support Black Boys Against Neo-Nazis in Nashville

Last week neo-Nazis verbally attacked a group of young Black boys who were drumming in downtown Nashville while law enforcement watched and did little to protect them from the racial slurs and physical intimidation. These young boys regularly play drums for tourists in downtown Nashville, but last week they were confronted by a group of about a dozen men wearing swastikas who proceeded to yell the “N-word” at them and physically intimidate them. The Neo-Nazis laughed and live-streamed this incident, which they later posted to social media and has since gone viral. Many in our community have responded in horror to the obvious racial hatred and harassment against children seeking ways to support.

Instead of being protected by the Metro Nashville Police Department, these young boys were told to leave by the police and were escorted a block away before being told to walk home by themselves while the neo-Nazis were allowed to continue their verbal attacks against others without consequence.

Drumming downtown has been an immense source of joy for these kids, and their parents described them as excited to go and perform for people walking through the city. This joy has been taken by the neo-Nazis whose racist abuse towards these young Black boys has created an unsafe environment. Furthermore, their families share that MNPD has repeatedly threatened to arrest these young boys for performing, and have refused to allow them the space to have Black joy in a downtown that belongs to all Nashvillians.

Now more than ever we must rally as a community to support these young boys, and ensure that they know they are loved and empowered. They are continuing to look for opportunities to share their musical talents and express their creativity during Summer break. We must continue to encourage and uplift them as deserving of space and freedom to have joy. This is about sending a clear message: Protect Black Kids.

All donations will go to their families for things like school supplies, back to school clothes, groceries, and a drum set.