Thomas S Gilmer: Former University of Arizona Computer Science Major and Patriot Front member
Patriot Front is a neo-fascist, white supremacist group that is widely known for using flashy aesthetics and propaganda. Since its inception, It has been labeled as a hate group by the SPLC and Anti-Defamation League, which both have a long history of tracking white supremacist groups. As discussed in previous articles, Patriot front initially splintered off of the Neo-Nazi organization Vanguard America after one of their members rammed his car into a crowd and killed a counterprotestor at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Virginia. The ensuing PR disaster caused the ousting of the groups leader by Texas based Neo-Nazi Thomas Rousseau and the top down rebranding of the group as an American nationalist organization. While the group utilizes American nationalist imagery in its propaganda, its ideology is still explicitly fascist, and its logo includes a fasces, which was the symbol of the original Italian fascist party in the 1920’s. The groups online manifesto calls for the institution of a fascist government in America and references the great replacement theory (The idea that white people are being outbred and replaced by people of color, and that Jews are secretly orchestrating this supposed genocide). The manifesto defines an American Patriot as someone who is “of the founding stock of our people” and goes on to claim that America was founded as a whites only nation.
In the past, Patriot Front’s activism has largely consisted of engaging in mundane activities like flash marches and banner drops which served the dual purposes of recruiting new members who were sympathetic to the groups ideology and terrorizing minority communities. For example, after the mass shooting at the Pittsburgh based Tree of Life synagogue the city experienced a spree of Patriot Front flyerings and banner drops. Members of the organization have also made a habit of targeting college campuses with propaganda because of their diverse populations and perceived liberal culture. Their most recent activities have revealed an escalation of tactics, as members have taken it upon themselves to deface murals dedicated to social justice causes.
That being said, the organization’s attempts to intimidate and terrorize minority communities have not been without consequence. In June 2022, 31 members of Patriot front, including Rousseau, were arrested after they allegedly planned to start a riot at a pride event in coeur d‘Alene, Idaho. The organization has also been sued for their attempts at vandalism, including the defacement of an LGBTQ+ pride mural in Olympia, Washington.
Other than the pride events and murals they have targeted, Patriot Front has continued the larger national trend of harassing drag show participants. During a drag show in Columbus Ohio a large number of patriot front members carrying round shields and wearing matching blue uniforms and tan khakis joined the local proud boys chapter and half a dozen armed militia in harrassing passersby and intimidating anyone who they thought were drag show attendees. Patriot Front has also been a common site at drag events in Texas, oftentimes protesting alongside self proclaimed christian fascist kelly Neidert and numerous other Neo-Nazi groups like the Aryan Freedom network and White Lives matter.
Also notable is the demographic makeup of Patriot Fronts membership. Unlike many other white supremacist groups, Patriot Fronts membership skews young, and possibly due to their obsession with flyering universities and specifically targeting young white men with their propaganda some of their members are college students or have attended college in the past. Although the group is obsessed with catering to a racist younger exclusively white male audience and increasing its membership, Patriot Front has an extremely high turnover rate, as many members leave the group after a short time due to its boring attempts at “activism”, poor opsec practices, the general incompetence of Rousseau and the groups leaders, and Rousseau’s paranoid and authoritarian style of leadership. It is obvious from even a precursory glance at the chat logs that the organizations hierarchical leadership structure attempts to control every aspect of its members lives, including their dating life, weight, and online presence.
With all of this in mind, we have recently identified Thomas S Gilmer as “Jack AZ”, a member of Patriot Front based out of Tucson, Arizona. From what we can gleam Gilmer majored in Computer Science at the University of Arizona. According to the group chats leaked by Unicorn Riot, Thomas is a particularly active member of the group, having attended many of the group’s hikes and choreographed events. He has also frequently put up promotional materials in the group alongside other Arizona based members.
Timeline:
Utah Hike (nov 19-21 2021)
In November of 2021 Gilmer alongside other Arizona based members of Patriot front attended a hike in Zion National Park and practiced sparring and drills for the then upcoming Patriot Front march in Washington DC that took place in December 2021 . Like the rest of their activities, hikes and sparring activities are heavily choreographed events that are done solely for the purpose of generating propaganda. Members often take pictures of themselves hiking, sparring ( We use this term loosely here, as their sparring is just for promotional purposes, and is almost never done correctly) and reading the groups manifesto. The pictures/videos are then uploaded to Patriot Fronts telegram channel so they can be easily distributed. During the hike into Zion members practiced shield formations and drills (which again they do completely wrong). Thomas aka “Jack AZ” can be seen with a cap with an Arizona state flag patch
Washington DC March
On December 5th 2021 Patriot Front members from across the country participated in a flash march on the National Mall in Washington DC. The groups flash marches are often extremely performative, short lived, and take place in the dead of night when there are less likely to be bystanders watching. While Patriot Front marched across the National Mall uninterrupted, at the end they realized their uhauls had not arrived due to logistical problems caused by anti fascist infiltration. For several hours the group of assorted racists stood out in the cold December weather looking like total dorks. The day before the march members of Patriot Front practiced formations and shield drills. It wasn’t hard to spot Gilmer due to his distinctive patches and neck gaiter. He first appears in photos when the group practiced shield formations the night before the event was to take place, and then the next day he can be seen loading into the groups Uhaul.
Patriot Front Vetting Process
According to the leaked chats Gilmer has participated in vetting potential Patriot Front members. The organization has a strict and paranoid vetting process wherein members must first fill out an online application then complete an in person interview. We would note that many applicants have been turned down because they are not “racially aware” enough for the organization, and many applicants who are accepted list their political affiliation as National Socialist or white nationalist. In the groups leaked documents Rousseau specifically lays out the qualifications for admittance into Patriot Front, including that prospective members must be straight cis white males with little criminal history. Applicants are not allowed to be too overweight or have physical disabilities (in the document it said physical disabilities should be noted but applicants with minor physical disabilities have been denied) . All of the questions and answers during the interview are written down and kept as records. From his chats it appears Thomas may have interviewed multiple members and ultimately made a decision on their admittance.
Activism and stickering
By Jack AZ’s own admission in the chat he has put up patriot front stickers and propaganda on numerous occasions. In one message Jack AZ discusses flyering Flagstaff AZ and Reno NV before and after the hike/sparring event at Zion.
Because the organization requires its members to record instances of activism and photograph any promat material that they put up, Gilmer posted records of his activity multiple times in the chat logs, and given the sheer number of stickers he claims to have put up it is reasonable to conclude that he is likely the most active Patriot Front member in Arizona
In the months before Patriot Fronts Rocket chat was leaked to the public, there had been numerous instances of banner drops and Patriot Front related vandalism in Tucson, including the defacement of community artwork on the sidewall of the taqueria de gallo restaurant in the southern part of the city. From examining Patriot Fronts propaganda that they posted on their telegram channel it is unclear if Gilmore was involved with stenciling over the artwork, but given that Gilmer lives in Tucson and does not appear to be a newer member of the organization, it is highly likely that he was involved.
Conclusion
As mentioned previously Patriot Front is a vehemently fascist organization that has no qualms about intimidating minority communities, even if it is done under the guise of self-promotion. Due to his membership in Patriot Front, Gilmer poses a serious threat to the community. If you are a member of patriot front reading this article know that you will be eventually identified. Get out of the group before your life is ruined following Rousseau. He is incompetent and does not care about your wellbeing. Our email and DM’s are always open. If you want to come clean about your membership in the group we can talk.
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