Cowering under the cover of anonymity, a hate group claims they have several moles in the court system and members “on the street” in both Long Island and New York City. According to the Daily News, these moles are working directly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
New York City Councilman Francisco Moya has received about 10 anonymous letters from an alleged member of this new anti-immigrant group, “The Notre Dame Society.” The writer explains in these notes that the group is working in tandem with ICE as vigilantes in so-called “sanctuary cities.”
“The Notre Dame Society,” ironically, refers to the story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, when Quasimodo saves Esmeralda from being hanged while shouting “Sanctuary, Sanctuary!”
“It’s unclear if this person is telling the truth about their anti-immigrant vigilante hate group or if the writer is just a dedicated troll but I am certain about one thing: This display of nationalism is not patriotism,” Moya told the Daily News. “It’s naked xenophobia. It’s fear masquerading as intimidation. And I will not be cowed by them.”
Calling themselves “Knights,” which may be a reference to the KKK, the writer adds that there are “67 Knights on the street in New York…21 Boston…16 Long Island…New Jersey 14…Upstate 10.” The anonymous writer also alleges the group has at least two members in New York City’s court system and three in Long Island’s. Whether such a group actually exists, or if they actually have a presence in the judicial system, is uncertain.
Just last week, reports emerged of posted flyers in Queens that called on citizens to report “any and all illegal aliens… they have broken the law.” The flyers are believed to originate from Vanguard America, an alt-right white supremacist group, providing further proof that our current divisive and fear-driven political rhetoric is creating an atmosphere that is ripe for the fermentation of such hate groups and xenophobia.
