Purported neo-Nazis rally at State Capitol, march around Pierre

A group bearing the Nazi flag rallies at the South Dakota state Capitol. (Submitted)

A handful of people identifying as neo-Nazis rallied in Pierre Saturday afternoon, to the surprise of area residents and state officials.

Photos and videos sent to The Dakota Scout show a group of what appears to be all men wearing matching outfits with their faces covered while marching around the state Capitol and Governor’s Mansion. Other Pierre area residents took pictures and videos of the group marching around the Oahe Dam, and in miscellaneous areas around town. In some videos, the demonstrators can be heard chanting “sieg heil,” a chant used by Nazi’s in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power.

Both Pierre police and highway patrol had an increased presence in the area.

It’s unclear exactly who the group is and where it came from, said state officials who spoke to The Scout. The hate group did not request a permit through the Bureau of Administration and thus providing notice of its intent to rally. Such permits are often required in order to host events in and around the state Capitol.

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Earlier this year, Kentucky’s The State Journal reported that the National Socialist Movement, recognized as one of the nation’s largest neo-Nazi groups, planned a rally at the state Capitol in Frankfort for late April.

Gov. Kristi Noem posted to her X (formerly Twitter) account to disavow the group, and confirming that the state was not made aware that it would be marching before it arrived.

“Today, Nazis attempted to rally at the SD Capitol without a permit and were escorted away by Highway Patrol officers,” Noem said. “Nazis are not welcome here in South Dakota. We stand on the shoulders of generations of Americans who have fought for the Freedom of all — here and abroad. We stand for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We reject all hatred and Nazis. Full stop.”

The rally caused concerns among local residents, who expressed disappointment and contempt that such a demonstration could pop up in the small town.

“Hearing reports about Nazis marching in Pierre,” House Majority Leader and Fort Pierre resident Will Mortenson wrote on X. “I don’t know what rock they crawled out from under, but they are not welcome here.”

The rally came two days after the 80th anniversary of Allied landings in Normandy, France which started the final eradication of Hitler’s Nazi government during World War II. They lost the war about 10 months after the start of the battle called D-Day.

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