VIDOR, Texas — A group espousing white supremacist views seen demonstrating in Vidor on Saturday left town after getting a less than enthusiastic response.
At least six masked people wearing camouflage pants, black shirts and displaying an Aryan Freedom Network flag were on the corner of Main St. and East Tram Rd.
They also displayed a flag with their logo on the Battle Flag of the Confederacy and a couple signs including one mentioning "white pride" and showing a swastika.
Several photos and videos on Facebook of the small group were beginning to get lots of comments by midday Saturday.
12News was told that people passing by the area were telling the group to leave.
In a video on Facebook several Vidor Police officers can be seen showing up to talk to the group.
Vidor officers were sent to the intersection after receiving several calls about a disturbance according to Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll.
Interaction between them and citizens in the area was causing a disturbance leading the group to feel unwelcome according to Carroll.
The group told police that Vidor was the first community they did not feel welcome in Carroll told 12News by phone Saturday afternoon.
Where the group was demonstrating was on public property Carroll said but they had parked their cars on private property and the owner wanted their cars gone.
The group told police they getting ready to leave and asked that officers escort them out of town so that no one followed them Carroll said.
“The reality is, you know, Vidor is not the Vidor of 40 years ago and I'm actually proud of the citizenry for standing up against bigotry," Carroll said.
Hours after the group left the corner several residents responded with their own demonstration saying they do not support racism.
"I don't think those people should represent us," Vidor resident Hank Madden said while holding a poster board reading "We do not claim the cowards that you saw this morning."
"Those boys, I won't call them men, they were cowards and covered their faces," he added.
The residents stood on the same corner as they held other signs signs saying "We stand against racism," "We love everyone" and "This community is not racist."
The Aryan Freedom Network held its first official meeting in January 2022 according to the group's website.
They are described as a "small but growing neo-Nazi group based out of DeKalb, Texas" according to the Anti-Defamation League.
The group is "unapologetic committed to the interests, ideas, security and cultural values of the White Race" according to its website.
The AFN claims they have chapters in 21 states with the most being in Texas according to their website. Their website claims they have a chapter in Vidor.
"We don't live that way and I'll sell it to anybody that says Vidor is a racist community," Madden said. "I'm here to tell you it's not."
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.