Nashville grapples with lingering neo-Nazi presence in tourist-friendly city

For weeks, neo-Nazis have made repeat appearances in Nashville, livestreaming antisemitic antics for shock value. They've waved swastika flags through crowded streets, sung hate songs on the downtown courthouse steps and even briefly disrupted a city council meeting with jeers. Their continued presence has sparked hard questions about why Music City is attracting groups amplifying Nazi beliefs and what, if anything, can help stop them. Jon Lewis, a George Washington University Program on Extremism research fellow, said Nashville’s touristy attraction may be a factor, but the state’s embrace of anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-immigrant policies may also play a role.