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Or sign-in if you have an account.Founder of the white supremacist group Patriot Front Thomas Rousseau (centre) and fellow members gather at Eastern Market metro station during Fourth of July celebrations on July 4, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Finn Gomez /Getty ImagesA top U.S. official on Sunday shrugged off a July Fourth parade by masked white supremacists in Washington as an example of “messy” democracy that fell under the banner of constitutionally protected free speech.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Accountor“Certainly, what they stand for is nothing that I could possibly agree with. But one of the foundational principles of the United States, which makes democracy messy, is free speech,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told CNN.In striking scenes as Americans celebrated the nation’s 250th birthday on Saturday, hundreds of masked men carrying Confederate battle flags or U.S. flags and sporting logos of the white supremacist Patriot Front movement were seen marching through parts of Washington, shouting “Reclaim America!”Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againWearing a uniform of tan pants and hats and dark blue shirts, and apparently led by the neo-fascist group’s founder, Thomas Rousseau, the masked men crowded onto the city’s Metro system, gathered outside Union Station train station and marched towards Capitol Hill.Asked by CNN whether he would condemn the group and what they stand for, and whether he would urge President Donald Trump to do the same, Burgum couched his language carefully.“There are plenty of things that I see that I might personally find offensive, irreprehensible (sic). But in America, free speech is allowed” under the U.S. Constitution, the interior secretary said, going on to decry progressive candidates who were running for election as “communists” in the United States.Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department said the white nationalist group marched briefly through neighbourhoods around the U.S. Capitol and left the city before 11:00 am.“MPD recognizes the rights of individuals to peacefully express their views and remains committed to maintaining public safety and security for DC residents and visitors,” a police spokeswoman said in a statement reported by U.S. media. A passenger looks on as members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front ride the Washington Metro during Fourth of July celebrations in Washington, DC. Photo by Finn Gomez /Getty ImagesThe Patriot Front was founded in the aftermath of a deadly “Unite the Right” rally in 2017 that brought torch-bearing white nationalists from all over the country to Charlottesville, Virginia.That rally culminated in an avowed white supremacist driving a car into counter-protesters, killing one woman and injuring 19 other people.Trump infamously took 48 hours to respond to the violence, and then said there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protests, drawing widespread criticism.The Southern Poverty Law Center, a legal advocacy group that tracks extremism in the U.S., describes the Patriot Front as a white nationalist hate group that “focuses on theatrical rhetoric and activism.”In a new counterterrorism strategy released in May, the Trump administration identified “violent leftwing extremists” as among three major types of terror threats that the country faces.This marked a break from the previous administration of Democrat Joe Biden, which had identified far-right fringe groups, particularly those espousing white supremacy, as a major threat.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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