Hamilton can stand together against white supremacy, and we must.

On July 31, 2024, the violent white nationalist organization, Diagolon is planning to host an event in Hamilton, as part of their “Terror Tour” to promote hatred.

Diagolon is a network of people that espouse violent, neo-fascist, eugenicist views. Their explicit intent is to incite racist violence and overthrow the State to build a white ethnostate. Echoing fascist movements historically, Diagolon’s slogan is “gun or rope”. As the Canadian Anti-Hate Network says “their goals are ultimately fascist: to use violence to take power and strip rights away from people who do not meet their purity tests based on ideology, race, and gender.”

Diagolon started as an online conspiracy theory group espousing anti-semitism and holocaust denial, ableist, homophobic, anti-immigrant, Islamophobic, and white supremacist views. They were and continue to be involved in ongoing convoy-style protests around the country and are currently espousing particularly violent anti-South Asian rhetoric.

The violence of white supremacy takes many forms, all of which require action to denounce and dismantle. This event is an extreme that must be condemned and opposed, but is only one expression of wider ideologies of white supremacy embedded across society. We are also seeing the anti-immigrant, Islamaphobic, and anti-2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric of extremist groups like Diagolon channelled through mainstream political parties and media. We understand that hatred is harmful, hurtful, and has long-lasting impacts on individuals, communities, and beyond.

We call on community members, groups, organizations, elected officials, and institutions to take action by publicly denouncing and opposing Diagolon and their tour of terror and hate.

Here are some tangible actions you can take:

1. If you manage a venue in Hamilton, refuse to book space to Diagolon or anyone

affiliated with white supremacist groups. (See the anti-hate guide for venues)

2. Reach out to venues in your neighbourhood and tell them to refuse booking this event
3. Sign on and share this statement or write your own
4. Educate yourself and share information with your neighbours, coworkers, and family on why we should be concerned about groups like this
5. As an elected official, publicly denounce Diagolon and let them know they are not welcome in Hamilton
6. Support folks organizing counter-events, even if you can’t show up yourself  

Here is a resource tool on Diagolon put together by Community Solidarity Ottawa.

Hamilton has and can come together to oppose hate and that time has come again. This event should not take place in Hamilton, or anywhere.

Please report hate incidents/crimes to the community reporting tool WeSupportHamilton.ca or directly to the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre at https://www.harrc.ca/reporting-form

Signed By:

Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion

McMaster Office of Community Engagement

Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre

Disability Justice Network of Ontario

No Hate in the Hammer

Hamilton District Labour Council

Hamilton Community Legal Clinic

Social Planning and Research Council Hamilton

Shut Down Hate

The Equity Network

HAMSMaRT

Hamilton 350