Around 500 people showed up in Leith, North Dakota Sunday to protest a visit by the Commander of the National Socialist Movement. Jeff Schoep was there to look at Leith and the property that was purchased for the American Nazis by local resident Craig Cobb. Flags with swastikas flew in Cobb’s yard and on other properties he bought.
Leith is a town in Grant County. Its official population is 17.
The protestors were loud, but peaceful, shouting “Go Home” and “No Hate in our State.” That group included more than 200 Native Americans from the nearby Standing Rock reservation, as well as other reservations from both Dakotas.
The National Socialists have said they hope to have enough people move to town so they can take over the city government.
“We have to start somewhere,” said Schoep. “So if we start in small towns and spread out from there, it’s sort of a test ground in that sense, where if we’re able to get off the ground here, then we’re able to get off the ground in other places.”
“I wish this had never happened,” said Leith Mayor Ryan Schock. “This is a small, quiet town. Families live around here, and it’s a very close knit community. I really wish it hadn’t gotten to this point.”
But Schock said he was happy to see the number of protestors.
“I can see how our state draws together,” said Schock. “It’s just unfortunate that it has to be an event like this.”
Schoep held a town hall meeting later in the afternoon. At one point, two people had to be removed from that meeting.
Members of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department were on hand, assisted by deputies from several surrounding counties. Fifteen North Dakota Highway Patrol officers stood by in riot gear, just in case things got out of hand.
Now , Cobb may lose his home. The state Health Department is looking at condemning the house for human health concerns. Cobb and Schoep say they will fight that in court. And Mayor Schock says there has been talk about unincorporating the city – turning it back over to the county.
“It’s unfortunate that one person may force us to do that,” said Schoep. “But it may have to happen.”