PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A reading of “The Communist Manifesto” at a nonprofit community library in Rhode Island was interrupted by a group of protesters carrying a flag with a swastika, banging on the windows and yelling profanities.
The protesters can be heard in a livestream of Monday’s reading at the Red Ink Community Library. A video posted on Twitter shows the flag and the protesters, some of whom appear to be making Nazi salutes.
“We held a peaceful celebration of the Communist Manifesto tonight for 45 minutes, until it was interrupted by a crowd of fascists and Nazis,” the library said in a statement.
Several police cars responded to reports of an “active disturbance” at about 6:45 p.m.
According to the police report, responding officers saw 15 to 20 people, “allegedly from a neo-Nazi group,” standing outside and striking the windows with their hands. The crowd dispersed when police cars arrived with their emergency lights on. Police did not see any damage to the building and one officer remained on the scene until about 8:15 p.m.
Gov. Dan McKee and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza both condemned the protesters.
“The video showing a group waving Nazi flags last night in PVD is unacceptable and disgusting. I stand with those condemning last night’s acts,” McKee tweeted.
Elorza is a statement said the city “has no room for hate-filled actions meant to intimidate and cause fear.”
The reading of the manifesto is an annual event held every Feb. 21 to mark its publication.
