Police Arrest Leader Of MA-Based Hate Group At Anti-LGBTQ Protest

BOSTON — Boston police arrested the 23-year-old founder of a Massachusetts-based neo-Nazi organization and two counterprotesters during a protest that turned violent outside a children’s drag queen story hour in Jamaica Plain Saturday.

Christopher R. Hood Jr., 23, of Pepperell, who was charged with affray and disturbing the peace, was leading a group of about 20 masked men holding a banner that read "PEDO SCUM OFF OUR STREETS" and demonstrating outside the Loring Greenough House, where families had gathered for the event.

Hood is a white nationalist who founded NSC-131 in 2019. NSC-131 started drawing mainstream media and police attention after members participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. NSC stands for "Nationalist Social Club," according to the Anti-Defamation League, and 131 is the alphanumeric code for ACA, or Anti-Communist Action.

Since the start of the year, NSC-131 has increasingly targeted LGBTQ events, beginning with a protest in Portsmouth, NH in January.

On Saturday, Hood got into a fight with a counterprotester who was also charged with affray and disturbing the peace. Police also arrested another counterprotester and accused him of refusing to get out of the way of and punching the window of a car driven by NSC-131 members. On Monday, the city dropped charges against the two counterprotesters.

The event at the historic Loring Greenough House had already been postponed once after police warned organizers NSC-131 may target it. "These guys who came knew nothing about us. They didn’t care in my opinion, Diane W. Spears, president of the board of directors for the Loring Greenough House, told the Boston Globe. "They had these face masks on to hide their identities. People who are like that are hard to respect."

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's office said the police department's civil rights unit will investigate the incident further because it targeted LGBTQ community members.

"It’s no coincidence that these cowardly groups from outside our city continue to target Boston as we showcase how representative leadership, empowered communities, and bold policies can have immediate impact," Wu said in a statement. "We are prepared and will not be intimidated in our work to make Boston a city for everyone. We remain ready for citywide deployment of extra public safety resources with a zero tolerance approach to any groups looking to intimidate or harass residents in our city."

Earlier this month, members of Patriot Front marched around Copley Square, City Hall Plaza, and the Freedom Trail carrying shields, covering their faces, and wearing shirts that said "Reclaim America" while marching to the beat of a drum. Following the July 2 demonstration, Wu said city officials planned to press charges against the group after a Black artist told police members of the group attacked and injured him near Copley Square.

Hood Previously Urged College Students To Bully Kids 'Who Race Mix'

Since Hood founded NSC-131, the group has grown and now has chapters around the United States and in France, Hungary and Germany.

"Originally named the New England Nationalists Club (NENC), the group was started in December 2019 by a handful of neo-Nazis in Eastern Massachusetts," the Anti-Defamation League says in its dossier on NSC-131. "Led by Chris Hood, the group's original focus was covering up anarchist and gang graffiti with their own graffiti in the areas of Worcester, Boston, Quincy, Rutland and Sturbridge."

The group renamed itself the Nationalist Social Club in early 2020 and expanded in May 2020 when the white supremacist group Legion of St. Ambrose fell apart and many of its members joined NSC-131. Since then, according to ADL, the group has added chapters in Florida, Kentucky, Texas and Virginia. ADL said it also identified members in Arizona, Indiana, New Hampshire and New York.

In videos posted last June, Hood, 23, and other NSC-131 members urged college students to bully "kids who race mix."

"We're just a few guys who started in the [Black Lives Matter] riots who said 'F--k that. We're not going to let them burn down our city and, if they do, we're going to be there to say something about it'," Hood said at the time. "We attract people who are definitely down to be the white defense force."

The nonprofit Counter Extremism Project says NSC-131 is a "leaderless, decentralized organization" and lists Hood, previously of Malden, as its "alleged founder." During the Jan. 6 riot, screenshots taken from Telegram, the encrypted messaging app NSC-131 uses to communicate, showed members holding up the group's logo outside the Capitol.

"Known NSC tactics include antagonizing social-justice protesters, vandalism, and posting stickers and other propaganda," the Counter Extremism Project says in its entry on NSC-131. "NSC members have joined right-wing and pro-police rallies where they have displayed Nazi flags and symbols, as well as engaged in physical altercations."

'A Great Success Story'

In 2017, Hood graduated from Henry Owens High School, a Chelsea school for behaviorally and academically challenged students and adults run by the Shore Educational Collaborative. In 2016, the nonprofit featured a photo of Hood on its annual report.

"Chris is a good student, respected by his teachers, counselors, support staff, and peers," the photo's caption reads. "He is involved in Shore's Student Council and is on the Track Team. Chris attributes his high school success to the individualized support he has received from his teachers and counselors at Shore. Chris plans to attend college after he graduates in June 2017 and intends to become a police officer. Chris's effort and self-determination, combined with the opportunities offered by Shore, has made for a great success story."

Hood was linked to hate groups in December 2017, just months after he graduated from high school, when he was photographed participating in a "free speech" protest in Harvard Square as a member of the Patriot Front.

In addition to Patriot Front, Hood was affiliated with other white nationalist groups — including the Proud Boys and the Base — before forming NSC-131 in late 2019, according to the ADL. The New England chapter of NSC-131 was active in Black Lives Matter rallies in Boston earlier this year and provided security at a June 27 anti-Black Lives Matter rally on Boston Common, the ADL said in its dossier.

In Feb. 2019, Hood and two other men were arrested after police said they spotted them wearing masks and posting racist fliers in East Boston. Police found about 50 fliers reading "Keep America American. Report any and all illegal aliens. They are not immigrants. They are criminals. Call: 1-866-DHS-2ICE."

Police said they found a knife and brass knuckles on Hood and Tylar Larson, 20, of Rochester, New York. A third man, Matthew Wolf, 26, of Lowell, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).