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A Texas man with a past conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon has been identified as a leader in the white nationalist Patriot Front group, a Hatewatch investigation has revealed.
Brenner Alexander Cole, 25, of Driftwood, Texas, has been a Patriot Front member since at least 2021 and since has assumed a leadership role within the group, according to leaked documents found by the media collective Unicorn Riot. The cache of leaked documents, which includes audio recordings of group meetings, shows that Cole became a network director for Patriot Front on Dec. 10, 2021; this role helps to plan propaganda runs, coordinate Patriot Front demonstrations and recruit new members. Cole also appears to have planned to drop a Patriot Front banner over an FBI billboard that advertises how to report hate crimes, but whether the action was carried out is unclear.
A Hatewatch investigation shows Cole appearing to welcome his local leadership role in the white nationalist group, using his position of authority to promote the group’s white nationalist ideology and motivate members to commit to their cause. Unmasking Cole and outlining his activities provides a window into the small but committed group of middle managers who oversee the circulation of Patriot Front’s racist propaganda into communities across the U.S.