St. Patrick’s Day, which falls every year on March 17, is a global celebration of Irish culture. Originating with the Catholic celebration of the patron saint of Ireland, the holiday has since gone global and become secularized to become what it is today. Despite being an inclusive and international holiday, it has been coopted by white supremacists and neo-Nazis, who have adopted aspects of the St. Patrick story and twisted them to fit their antisemitic and racist agenda.
Neo-Nazis in particular have taken the metaphor of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland and have applied it to their antisemitic expulsionist fantasies, claiming that the snakes represented Jews. Others have portrayed St. Patrick as a Christian nationalist, a conqueror, or a crusader, using him as a White Nationalist symbol.
The following report will highlight white nationalists and neo-Nazis around the world celebrating St. Patrick’s day.
Neo-Nazis And White Supremacists Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
An Australian neo-Nazi organization posted a graphic of a Celtic wheel cross and wrote, "A happy Saint Patrick's day. Or is it? In a nation with a substantial White Christian Anglo Celtic population, the 'Celtic cross' is now illegal, you heard right, it's now as illegal as the swastika to display publicly. This is all thanks to our JEWISH attorney general, [redacted]....a commie White Christian hating kike if there ever was one. He has no business being in our government whatsoever. So on Saint Patrick's day, we are displaying it anyway !!! Go fuck yourself [redacted], ya doofus."
The leader of a New England based neo-Nazi organization posted footage on Telegram of a child being assaulted at the 2024 St. Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston. He wrote: "These cucks miss us now!"
An Australian neo-Nazi organization posted a graphic showing a painting of St. Patrick and wrote, "Happy St Patrick's Day! [We] recognis[e] the hard work and contributions of many Australians of Irish descent. From the early pioneers, settlers, convicts and their descendants - who continue to play a significant role in forging the Australian identity. We encourage all Australians of Celtic Heritage to join us in our shared mission."
A neo-Nazi account on Gab shared an image of St. Patrick and wrote: "Remember when Saint Patrick chased all the snakes out of Ireland, and everyone celebrated and honored him? Those weren't literal snakes, they were jews. Another piece of history (((they))) want to distort. Happy St. Patrick's Day."
A Lithuanian Active Club shared an image, forwarded from a Lithuanian legionnaire account, of an Irish militant in Ukraine holding a shell with "Happy St Patrick's Day" written on it in black marker. The channel wrote, in both Lithuanian and English, "A legionnaire from Ireland congratulates [redacted] on St. Patrick's Day."
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