Marine at racist rally convicted in court martial
An active duty U.S. Marine who belonged to a neo-Nazi group and bragged about involvement in last year鈥檚 deadly 鈥淯nite the Right鈥� (UTR) rally in Virginia has been convicted in a court martial.
Lance Cpl. Vasillios 鈥淏illy鈥� Pistolis was convicted Monday and sentenced to 28 days of confinement, reduction in rank and forfeiture of two-thirds pay for one month, Marine Corps officials told media outlets.
Pistolis was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice with failure to obey an order or regulation and making a false official statement.
An co-published last month by ProPublica and Frontline reported that Pistolis, who reportedly is from Charlotte, North Carolina, 鈥渉as spent years in the white power movement.鈥�
His racist ties include 鈥渁 stint as a cell leader for the Atomwaffen Division,鈥� a violent, neo-Nazi group 鈥渢hat espouses political terrorism and the overthrow of the U.S. government,鈥� the media outlets reported.
The article also disclosed that Pistolis had claimed in social media chat rooms that he assaulted four people at last summer鈥檚 UTR rally in Charlottesville.
In one of those chats, the publications reported, the young marine posted: 鈥淭oday [I] cracked 3 skulls open with virtually no damage to myself.鈥�
The U.S. Department of Defense has rules forbidding military service members from joining white supremacist rallies or demonstrations. The Marine Corps also has regulations barring its members from 鈥減articipation in supremacist or extremist organizations or activities.鈥� Violations can lead to court martial or discharge.
In interviews with ProPublica and Frontline, Pistolis asked the news organizations 鈥渘ot to publicize his involvement in the neo-Nazi movement,鈥� the article reported.
Pistolis denied being at the Charlottesville rally despite several photos that appear to show him 鈥渁t the center of several altercations鈥� alongside other white supremacists at the August 12 event, the article said. He claimed he infiltrated Atomwaffen 鈥渙n behalf of another neo-Nazi group鈥� that the article didn鈥檛 identify.
The news organizations 鈥渃oncluded that Pistolis had been a leader in the Atomwaffen Division at the time of the rally and had traveled to Virginia intent on violence,鈥� the article reported.
