The LA Ten Four

By Sean Beckner-Carmitchel

This piece is a collaboration with Left Coast Right Watch, who are a West Coast-based news site dedicated to covering politics and extremism. They can be found here.

Nazi Mob Assaults Man At Huntington Beach Charlie Kirk Vigil

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Neo-Nazis attacked a man Saturday evening during a vigil for slain right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk. Groups that participated included neo-Nazi “active clubs,” from throughout California as well as Patriot Front. Though there was mixed reaction from the beach vigilgoers, many in the crowd openly celebrated the presence of the white nationalist groups.

_{Members of Patriot Front walk through Huntington Beach, handing literature to passersby (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

More than 100 people assembled in front of the Huntington Beach Pier on September 13. Many brought signs associated with right-wing churches with pictures of Charlie Kirk’s face. Others brought large American flags, pro-Donald Trump flags and candles. Evangelical Christian gospel music could be heard playing via loudspeaker.

_{A man stands on an electric transformer waving a gigantic American flag. (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

Even before neo-Nazis groups arrived, there were signs of the most extreme end of the right-wing. Arthur Schaper of anti-LGBT group Mass Resistance walked along the periphery of the crowd. Several people wore Pit Viper sunglasses, and could be heard talking to some in the crowd about “who really is in charge of the left.”

Kirk and his group Turning Point USA had worked to spread anti-LGBT and other far-right views like the Great Replacement Theory, but neo-Nazi groups and far-right agitators like Groypers have publicly clashed on the belief that Kirk wasn’t radical enough. Far-right agitator groups like Groypers regularly began disruptive “Groyper Wars,” on Kirk at his events, and members like Nick Fuentes would spout overt antisemitism.

Though there still isn’t definitive public evidence of the motive (if any clear one exists) of Kirk’s shooter Tyler Robinson, online speculation has fueled theories that Robinson belonged to both right-wing and leftist groups. One man could be heard telling children that Kirk was “gunned down by Antifa.” Many parroted Trump’s blaming the killing of Kirk on the “radical left.” When dozens of masked white nationalists marched into the vigil, several in the crowd thanked them for “their work.”

As vigilgoers began to light candles, dozens of overt fascists marched into the crowd. Chants included “Unite the right/crush the left,” and “Say his name, Charlie Kirk.” Masked members of Patriot Front, and various “active clubs” waved flags as they walked into the pier vigil. More than a dozen wore black shirts with the logo of SoCal Active Club.

Many in the crowd cheered as they arrived.

“Culture War Criminal” Ryan Sanchez was at the front of the group. As they arrived, Sanchez told the marchers “nationalists, this way,” and they walked into the center of the crowd. They unfurled a large white banner reading “crush the left.” Sanchez has previously attempted to use Huntington Beach as a launchpad to stoke his particular brand of hateful ideology.

Sanchez has previously worked alongside Groypers like Fuentes. In 2024, at a CPAC event, Sanchez raised a Nazi salute as he joined with Fuentes and other Groypers in harassing journalist Amanda Moore.

Other participants included Robert Wheldon, a former Proud Boy-turned White Lives Matter chat administrator who has been profiled for LCRW previously. Michael Hanahan III, previously known for being a member of violent neo-Nazi group Clockwork Crew, carried a flag and marched near the front of the group. 

_{A child smiled as he was handed neo-Nazi literature. He later posed for photos with a friend, who also spoke with the group (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

The white nationalists, as has been the case for Sanchez at his previous Huntington Beach appearances, was there to recruit. Several people walked around the crowd handing out literature and discussing antisemitic and racist conspiracy theories. Several children were seen holding flyers which read “WHITE MAN FIGHT BACK! GET INVOLVED TODAY” that featured QR codes linking to several explicitly nationalist and racist websites.

_{White Nationalists march down the street by the Huntington Beach Pier. (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

As time went on, several within the Charlie Kirk vigil began to falsely accuse Sanchez’ group of being “Antifa.” Pointing to their masks, several began shouting at masked members of Patriot Front and Active Clubs to “show their face.” Several times, as the rhetoric from the white nationalist groups became even more explicit than usual, vigilgoers attempted to pray loudly and unsuccessfully to drown them out.

_{Neo-Nazis kick and beat a man in an attempt to steal his flag (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

The attack occurred near the pier, as Sanchez’ group began to leave. When they began marching, a small group of vigilgoers confronted them. Several people who were shopping or walking in the city of Huntington Beach that saw them cheered.

_{A member of Patriot Front uses stairs to get to a getaway vehicle (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

One man, carrying an American flag, taunted the group with several others. Calling them “un-American,” and “traitors,” he followed them to a parking garage several blocks away where the group was walking through. Suddenly, about a dozen began kicking and hitting him. The group then fled into the parking garage.

_{Huntington Beach Police Department officers walk past a man wearing a “National SoCal-Ism” shirt on their dogged pursuit for a Nazi attacker (Sean Beckner-Carmitchel)}

Huntington Beach Police Department were seen shortly afterwards taking a criminal report for Battery from the victim. As the Huntington Beach Police Department searched near the parking lot, several men wearing shirts which read “National So-Calism,” walked calmly away without any apparent suspicion from the officers. No arrest was made.

Afterwards, Anthony, the man who was attacked told LCRW that he did it because he “hated Nazis.” Though the man espoused several conspiratorial right-wing beliefs in an interview, he told LCRW that the neo-Nazis that beat him up were “traitors.”

The City of Huntington Beach, and the Huntington Beach Police Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment.