Tonight at 10PM EST @frontlinepbs and @ProPublica are debuting a documentary that focuses on some of the people behind the events that took place in Charlottesville last August. I am going to live tweet some of the content while it airs on this thread.
propublica.org/article/propub…
propublica.org/article/propub…
It sounds like this documentary may have some good information; however, it may be impossible for many people to watch which is why I have decided to do a tweet thread to disseminate relevant information without the images.
This is the thread I am going to use for it so if you don’t want this content on your timeline, you can mute this thread now. To mute a thread, in the upper righthand corner, there is a triangle. Click it. Select “mute this conversation.” Here is a video instruction.
Between now and the start of the documentary, I will add reminders to this thread so it refreshes in feeds to hopefully give everyone a fair opportunity to mute this thread prior to the time it starts.
Stay tuned. 🧜🏻♀️
Stay tuned. 🧜🏻♀️
If you want to watch the documentary, you can watch on TV or online. Again, it airs tonight at 10PM EST. I’ll be live tweeting from this thread interesting info without pictures/images. If you don’t want this on your timeline, mute this thread. 🧜🏻♀️
pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/
pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/
T-Minus 52 minutes and counting. This is the thread I’ll be live tweeting on so coming up on your last chance to mute this thread from appearing in your timeline. If you don’t know how to mute this thread... here’s the info:
#NW: ProPublica and Frontline’s documentary on Charlottesville. I’m watching online but it is also on PBS. 🧜🏻♀️
pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/
pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/
Starts off with documentarian stating they had been tracking hate crimes since the beginning of the Presidency. Said #UTR was supposed to be about a statue but it clearly was going to be about more. He went to ask questions.
Calls #UTR the largest gathering of white supremacists in a generation drawing people from over 35 states.
Starting with the police press conference.
Documentarian (AC Thompson) asked police about rumor of tiki torch march. Police heard rumor but didn’t have more details.
Starting with the police press conference.
Documentarian (AC Thompson) asked police about rumor of tiki torch march. Police heard rumor but didn’t have more details.
Says as hundreds of white supremacists gathered with torches, police stayed to the side. Now AC Thompson is interviewing Emily G. She is speaking about #A1117 and how it felt like their energy was a happy rage. Like they were excited to be doing the intimidating.
Now on #A1217 AC Thompson walked in with clergy. Speaking about the violent clash at 10:15AM. Footage of AC Thompson speaking to VSP asking if there were plans for police to intervene. Police responded they all have different assignments.
Another clash happened. Violent outbreak. No arrests.
At 12PM, Deandre Harris was attacked. Has video of man yelling at cops telling them to come do their job. Police didn’t intervene to break it up.
At 12PM, Deandre Harris was attacked. Has video of man yelling at cops telling them to come do their job. Police didn’t intervene to break it up.
1:45PM an act of terror occurred and Heather Heyer was murdered.
AC Thompson interviewing Heather’s mother. Speaking about how surreal it is to go back to Charlottesville now. Seeing where the violence happened around the city. Right next to the police station. And the cops did nothing.
AC Thompson asks Heather’s mom if Fields is the only person who should be held accountable.
NO.
She says for people to come from 35 states, “that’s absurd.”
NO.
She says for people to come from 35 states, “that’s absurd.”
Now highlighting Trump’s response following #UTR.
“Both sides”
“Alt-left”
David Duke and other white supremacists thanked Trump for his comments.
“Both sides”
“Alt-left”
David Duke and other white supremacists thanked Trump for his comments.
Now he is interviewing former Mayor Mike Signer. Just asked him about harassment he has received as a Jewish man. Said a lot. Cites an image of Robert E Lee pressing a green button on a gas chamber with his face photoshopped on a person with a Star of David on them.
“I wish that we had known more.” -Mike Signer
Signer says he wish the state intelligence had given them more info. Says at a meeting with 3 VSP with Council they weren’t presented evidence of a credible threat.
Signer says he wish the state intelligence had given them more info. Says at a meeting with 3 VSP with Council they weren’t presented evidence of a credible threat.
I am actually currently outraged because I know activists were crying out for support and showing them documented credible threats. This is fucking bullshit.
Charlottesville cops and VSP wouldn’t speak with Thompson.
1 charged for Heyer’s murder. 4 charged for beating Harris.
1 charged for Heyer’s murder. 4 charged for beating Harris.
Thompson states he wants to know WHO the people were that descended on Charlottesville and why the police were so unprepared.
Now speaking to an expert who watched it unfold online. Cites all of the previous violent protests with white supremacists & says he could see what was going to come from his office in NY. Says homeland security should have been providing names of people at previous events.
“Now that these groups feel they have some state sanction for that, they are going to be more violent in years to come.”
Now we have moved onto how he noticed the same person at a few rallies and identified him as Robert Rundo. Looked at his background. Saw he was the leader of a small gang in Queens called “Original Flushing Crew.” They got into a fight with MS-13.
MS-13 called Rundo “El Diablo Blanco.” Showed video of him stab an MS-13 member 6+ times. Spent 2 years in prison the moved to Orange County.
Now speaking with a probation officer in CA. A tattoo Rundo had on his chest has ties to Neo Nazis and Hitler symbolism.
Rundo was part of a multi cultural gang. Went to prison in upstate NY. Came out a supremacist. Probation officer says not surprised because in
Rundo was part of a multi cultural gang. Went to prison in upstate NY. Came out a supremacist. Probation officer says not surprised because in
prison people align with their own race. Probation officer says this is the highest prevalence of white supremacy in his 30 years.
“I’m afraid Charlottesville could happen again and be a lot worse.”
“I’m afraid Charlottesville could happen again and be a lot worse.”
AC Thompson says Rundo is an example of white supremacists pushing into mainstream. He was first at a Trump rally behind a banner. Anti fascist protesters arrive. Rundo and others attacked them.
Now talking to two people who used social media to ID “The Rise Above Movement” as Rundo’s group. They say they are just nationalists but their members share Hilter posts and the like. They are also shown as training with Hammerskins who are a hyper violent supremacist group.
They gained national recognition as “white supremacist street fighters.” Thompson is going through identifying various members of RAM. This is using footage from Huntington Beach and Berkeley protests. BEFORE. CHARLOTTESVILLE.
They just connected video of a RAM member involved in violence at Huntington Beach involved in once of the first fights at #UTR. They can’t identify WHO he is though.
Now they are looking at RAM graffiti. Talking about how traditional white supremacist graffiti looks different. RAM graffiti looks more like it has a hip hop style graffiti influence. Thompson points out maybe that is the NY influence from Rundo.
Annnnnd now I’m buffering or something. Sigh. Memo to self, I’m at minute 31 incase this freezes up.
On this break, here is a quick picture of my documentary buddy. 
Dude checking out graffiti is a sociologist. Showing traditional white supremacist graffiti now such as Celtic Cross. This one says “kill your local drug dealer” under it which speaks to the puritanical image they try to portray as protectors of the traditional white race.
Talking about how this portrayal is key to building a young following. Showing fitness and “traditional” values in videos is attractive to 16/17 year olds.
Pete Simi says the most advanced white supremacist isn’t out there fighting. They are recruiting with words.
AC Thompson posted an article about Rundo and RAM after Charlottesville. Got calls from law enforcement officers who wouldn’t speak on the record but there is an investigation upon on Rundo. Rundo was reportedly in Europe networking with extremists.
Now AC Thompson is confronting Michael Miselis, the dude he couldn’t identify in the videos with RAM, who worked for Northrop Grumman. Miselis denies knowing anything. Thompson published article on Miselis. He was fired.
Now talking about murder of Blaze Bernstein by Sam Woodward. Speaking with a local reporter who says Woodward didn’t appear to be part of any groups and wasn’t on anyone’s radar.
Thompson doesn’t find much in court file or from school mates. Says most of his life was online. A journalist sends him an anonymous twitter account that has photos of Woodward with white supremacist group Atomwaffen Divison.
Now.... This lead connected to another Attomwaffen Divison member who he has connected to video in Charlottesville. He went to this guy’s father’s house and his father wouldn’t confirm or deny if they were real. Family called the next day and said he got out of it.
Says the family’s story is hard to verify as group used discord to communicate. Former Atomwaffen member sent Thompson logs that had this guy whose family he approached, Sam Woodward, and a username VasillistheGreek.
In the logs, Vasillis identifies that he was at #UTR. Describes his outfit as a black and white track suit. States that he drop kicked Emily G.
Like.... literally identified her by her full first and last name this log.
Like.... literally identified her by her full first and last name this log.
VasillistheGreek is Vasilli Pistolis who was a Private First Class in the US Marine Corps.
Now Emily G is looking at pictures. Emily says he didn’t hit her, it was the person next to her. But that was the moment that ignited the rest of the people to attack.
Now Emily G is looking at pictures. Emily says he didn’t hit her, it was the person next to her. But that was the moment that ignited the rest of the people to attack.
They matched up pictures to confirm it is him. At the time of him attacking people, he was serving in the US Marines.
FYI: it is illegal for someone who is active duty military to be a member of white supremacist organizations.
Thompson was writing about Pistolis, a former Marine contacted him. Said that his friend sent him a comment Pistolis made on FB & it was clear that he was active duty.
Thompson was writing about Pistolis, a former Marine contacted him. Said that his friend sent him a comment Pistolis made on FB & it was clear that he was active duty.
This former marine went and found a SLEEEWWWW of racist crap Pistolis had posted over the years.
Pistolis posted a picture of his #UTR outfit. Marine found footage Thompson hadn’t seen before that shows Pistolis attacking multiple people.
Pistolis posted a picture of his #UTR outfit. Marine found footage Thompson hadn’t seen before that shows Pistolis attacking multiple people.
There were at least a half dozen videos of Pistolis. When Pistolis showed up at a white lives matter rally in Tennessee, he decided to call cops with his information and documentation.
OH WAIT. He called the MILITARY POLICE that night. He told them he had evidence that Pistolis had been involved in white supremacist groups for many years and had documentation that Pistolis assaulted people at #UTR.
Military Police said he would send it up and they may hear from someone. He never heard back.
Thompson talked to Marines. They said they opened an investigation but nothing came of it.
Thompson made contact with Pistolis via email. Pistolis denied even being at #UTR.
Thompson talked to Marines. They said they opened an investigation but nothing came of it.
Thompson made contact with Pistolis via email. Pistolis denied even being at #UTR.
Now Thompson is on the phone with Pistilos. Tells Pistolis he has videos and chat logs.
“That ain’t even me.” - Pistolis
Pistolis said he already got in trouble with this so he left it all behind. Says all of those people are crazy.
“That ain’t even me.” - Pistolis
Pistolis said he already got in trouble with this so he left it all behind. Says all of those people are crazy.
“But I’m not saying I don’t have certain beliefs but I’m not trying to be involved with anything stupid is what I’m getting at.” - Pistolis
Basically Pistolis tries to write chat logs off as inside jokes. Thompson is like.... but the video though....
Basically Pistolis tries to write chat logs off as inside jokes. Thompson is like.... but the video though....
“How about this... let me leave you on this note. None of this comes out and a few years from now I will help you with your career. I can answer other questions that you want to know. Because, obviously, you probably don’t want to be working for ProPublica.” -Pistolis to Thompson
“Your goal is probably to be working for, like, a bigger-name company where you’re going to make more money.” - Pistolis to Thompson continued
Call ends there. Thompson published stories on Pistolis that revealed his activities at #UTR.
Call ends there. Thompson published stories on Pistolis that revealed his activities at #UTR.
After the report came out, Congressman Keith Ellison issued a formal letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Ellison asked Mattis to look into the case and white supremacy in the military.
Now Thompson is speaking with Ellison.
Now Thompson is speaking with Ellison.
Ellison says he hadn’t heard anything from the criminal services of the armed forces. He just heard about it from ProPublica and hopes military will change policy. Feels Trump has sent opposite message.
Ellison says when you get white supremacists marching, no masks, they are not afraid. Basically they are comfortable with the environment to be there. His concern is white supremacists getting best military training in the world. Who will they use it on?
US Attorney’s office in VA told Thompson they are pursuing a criminal prosection. Thompson says it seems they are investigating some of the people he has been looking into.
Sam Woodward’s secret racist life caught up with him. Prosecutors charged him with a hate crime.
Pistolis was Court marshaled and ousted from the Marine Corps.
Pistolis was Court marshaled and ousted from the Marine Corps.
Thompson goes on to say violence from Charlottesville has not gone away. Their source inside Attomwaffen says they have been recruiting new ranks and Pistolis is not the only person who is in the military.
“This story, is far from over.” - Thompson’s closing words
Part 2 of this series is coming this fall and called “New American Nazis”
Part 2 of this series is coming this fall and called “New American Nazis”
That’s the end of the documentary. They have an ongoing project where they are asking people to submit info on hate crimes, their stories, and/or get involved. Here is the link.
projects.propublica.org/graphics/hatec…
projects.propublica.org/graphics/hatec…
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