HOWELL (WWJ) People waving Nazi flags were spotted in Howell outside a community theater production of The Diary of Anne Frank.
A statement from the Fowlerville Community Theater said the demonstrations began outside the American Legion Devereaux Post #141 on Grand River at Highland-where the play was performed--on Saturday evening. They said, during the first act of the show, they became aware of the “self-identified Nazi protesters” near the building. Theater staff consulted the American Legion staff— who monitored the situation, and ensured the protesters were moved off property.
According to the Detroit News; the Livingston County Sheriff's Office came to the scene while the demonstrations unfolded over the course of about 30 minutes, all of the demonstrators wearing masks.
Bobby Brite, past commander of the American Legion Post #141 and a U.S. Army Veteran, captured the scene in a video on social media. He turned his cellphone camera to show several people (five to ten) holding up large flags with swastikas on them outside the post.
The American Legion calls itself the “largest” U.S. War Veterans non-profit organization—founded in the immediate aftermath of World War I.
“We do have a lot of Americans who have fought and died to preserve our way of life,” Brite said during his video. “That being said, we (The American Legion) are certainly against all acts of extremism, acts of hate and hate groups.”
According to theater officials, the audience learned of the demonstrations during intermission. The cast also found out during intermission while in character—and “although some were visibly shaken, they pulled together and finished the play with strength and professionalism," the theater said.
“This production centers around real people who lost their lives in the Holocaust, and we have endeavored to tell it with as much realism as possible. On Saturday evening, things became more real than expected,” the Fowlerville Community Theater statement read. “The presence of protesters gave us a small glimpse of the fear and uncertainty felt by those in hiding…We hope that, by presenting Anne’s story, we can prevent the atrocities of the past from happening again.”