Alex Thomas
A Marine has been removed from the service after he was suspended earlier this year for allegedly hanging a white nationalist banner at a pro-Confederate rally.
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Staff Sgt. Joseph Manning, 32, was arrested in May for trespassing while attending a pro-Confederate rally in North Carolina. While at the event, Manning and fellow Marine Michael Chesny draped a banner with the caption “HE WHO CONTROLS THE PAST CONTROLS THE FUTURE”; on the side of the banner were the letters “YWNRU” — an abbreviation for the white nationalist slogan “you will not replace us.” After previously being suspended, he is now in the process of being “administratively separated” from the Corps, Marine Corps Times reports.
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The Times-News initially reported the arrests in May, and when reached for comment, Maj. Clark Carpenter said, “Of course we condemn this type of behavior … These are two Marines that behaved inappropriately. That’s going to be investigated, and ultimately it’s an isolated incident.” Manning and Chesny were each charged with misdemeanor first-degree trespassing and released the same day on $1,500 bonds. Manning has been with the Corps since 2002 and has garnered a number of commendations, including a Purple Heart and medals in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Chesny enlisted in 2007.
The “you will not replace us” slogan is the calling card of Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group founded by former Marine Nathan Damigo. The men are designated to appear in court on Oct. 10; according to the district attorney, neither has entered a plea.
