Neo-Nazi hate group protests asylum seekers staying at Framingham hotel.
FRAMINGHAM — Several people who are allegedly members of an organization labeled as a neo-Nazi hate group that was previously seen demonstrating against the housing of Haitian migrants in Woburn and Marlborough were spotted last weekend near a Framingham hotel.
No arrests were made.
Police confirmed that the group — NSC-131 — was outside the Red Roof Inn on Cochituate Road late Saturday afternoon, holding signs in protest of the migrants staying there.
According to photos published on social media, about 15 to 20 men wearing black facemasks gathered outside the motel holding signs that said such things as "Invaders: Go Home" and "New England is Ours, the Rest Must Go."
Deputy Police Chief Sean Riley said police responded a little after 4 p.m. when a passerby reported that people wearing masks were walking down the street. Riley said the group left quickly.
Protester told police that group doesn't speak with officers
"It was uneventful," Riley said. "I know the sergeant went there with some officers. We were there less than 10 minutes, and they ended up leaving. They parked their cars illegally at a private business and the business told them they had to move their cars and they left."
Attempts to reach Mayor Charlie Sisitsky for comment were unsuccessful.
State Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said the migrants deserved to be welcomed, not exposed to hate.
'Very disturbing': Neo-Nazi group protests outside hotel housing migrants in Marlborough
“There is absolutely no place for hate in Framingham, or anywhere in MetroWest or in our state," Spilka said in a statement. "We are a nation of immigrants, and in Massachusetts, we should be doing everything we can to welcome these families as they arrive in our Commonwealth, the same way we have welcomed countless generations of immigrants before them.”
A video posted on social media showed a Framingham officer asking group members what they were doing. One member told the officer they do not speak to police officers.
Riley said the group did not violate any laws.
"With any protest, they have a right to protest," he said. "We sent officers there just to see what they were doing."
Both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center have called the group a neo-Nazi organization. The Anti-Defamation League of New England said it will continue to fight the group's attempt at spreading hate.
"Over the past few weeks, we have seen small bands of anti-immigrant demonstrators' intent on stoking fear and intimidation," said Rabbi Jonah C. Steinberg, regional director of the ADL of New England. "Those small extremist factions must not be allowed to overshadow the tremendous work of communities and service providers in Framingham and throughout Massachusetts in welcoming migrant families."
'We want a better life': Haitian asylum seekers share their experiences in Framingham
The group has also protested outside of the Extended Stay America on Northborough Road, Marlborough, on Sept. 2, and a hotel in Woburn. Both of those hotels are believed to be housing migrants.
After the Woburn incident, the Working Committee to Protect Migrant Families, which includes Jewish Family Services of Metrowest, issued a statement condemning the group's actions.
"Here in the commonwealth, we treat people with compassion and dignity," according to the statement. "We will support these families as they seek to create new lives for themselves, becoming our neighbors and part of our state's workforce, and enriching our communities. We will not let hate deter us from acting with humanity, and welcoming people who need our assistance."
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Neo-Nazi group demonstrates against Haitian migrants in Framingham