White Supremacists Harass Black Boys in Nashville

Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. GA Hardaway both called for a stronger response to the growing neo-Nazi threat in Nashville after a group of black child musicians were verbally abused and harassed by white supremacists on July 20.

According to The TennesseanRep. Jones called attention to the growing presence of neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Nashville during a press conference on July 24.

“White nationalists verbally attacked and attempted to intimidate these bright, beautiful, powerful young black boys who were just trying to play drums and enjoy their summer vacation like any other kid,” Jones said.

Jones called the act “an act of intimidation that has taken us back to darker days in our history.”

He continued: “We know that this is a deeper systemic problem and a deeper threat that we are experiencing in our state and in our city right now, with the increasing rise of white nationalist terrorism that is now targeting our children.”

The children, Rontarius Wilson, 14, Detonio Wilson, 10, Kamond Williams, 11, and Jaquial Forrest, 9, are downtown Nashville fixtures known for drumming on plastic buckets to earn money.

Ashton Lee, Forrest’s mother and a friend of the mother of the other three boys, said at the news conference that she was heartbroken when she realized they were the boys in the video she had seen circulating on social media.

“It wasn’t right,” she said. “I moved to this city, which is supposed to be free. And it happened anyway. It broke my heart.”

“It makes me feel something, but I tell the boys that not all white people are the same,” Lee continued. “They feel like everyone is against them, but they’re not.”

Lee said no other Tennessee lawmakers had contacted her, which she called “hurtful.”

“Everything you’re doing is hurtful. Please show the kids that you care and find out what you can do to help them,” Lee pleaded.

According to The TennesseanHardaway also said he was not surprised by the incident and questioned why white supremacists feel so comfortable protesting publicly in his state. Hardaway also turned his attention to his fellow lawmakers in his statement at the press conference.

“I found (the video of the incident) disgusting. Deplorable,” Hardaway said. “The fact that grown men are harassing and trying to intimidate young children is outrageous, right now in Nashville, Tennessee.”

He continued: “There is a climate that has been created by the vitriolic dialogue that is taking place in the political arena in particular and we need to mitigate that. Those who support white supremacy: we are going to denounce them.”

Rep. Jones created a GoFundMe for the children after the incident, which as of press time has raised more than $15,000 for the children.

Jones also called out local police, writing: “Instead of being protected by the Metro Nashville Police Department, these young boys were asked to leave by police and escorted a block away before being told to walk home while the neo-Nazis were allowed to continue their verbal attacks on others without consequence.”

Jones added, “Playing drums downtown was a source of immense joy for these kids, and their parents described them as being excited to perform for the city’s bystanders. That joy was taken away by neo-Nazis whose racist abuse of these young Black boys created a dangerous environment. Additionally, their families share that MNPD repeatedly threatened to arrest these young boys for performing and refused to allow them to experience Black joy in a downtown that belongs to all Nashville residents.”

Jones concluded: “We need to continue to encourage and cheer them on because they deserve the space and freedom to live in joy. This is about sending a clear message: Protect Black children.”

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