No arrests as white nationalist group stages demonstration in Halifax suburb

HALIFAX – A white nationalist group known as the Second Sons was behind a short-lived weekend demonstration in a Halifax suburb, which the group claims was one of eight protests across the country.

Halifax police say no arrests were made Saturday but the provincial politician who represents Bedford South said there is no place for hatred and racism in the rapidly growing community known for its cultural and religious diversity.

“These ideologies seek to divide people and undermine the values of respect, inclusion and equality that make Bedford South such a great place to live,” Damian Stoilov, the area’s member of the legislature, said in a social media post.

“Our strength comes from the people who have chosen to build their lives here, representing many different cultures, faiths, backgrounds and experiences. Diversity is something we value and celebrate.”

On social media, Second Sons Canada posted unverified photos of similar protests in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Hamilton, Kelowna, B.C., Sudbury, Ont., and Shawinigan, Que. All of the photos show men dressed in black with white masks.

The Canadian Anti-Hate Network describes Second Sons Canada as a far-right, members-only organization for men inspired by militant white nationalist groups in other countries.

The Second Sons Canada website says the group, established in 2024, is focused on political activism and fitness training.

It says it is seeking like-minded men to join a fraternal organization devoted to respecting the traditions of Canada’s forefathers while forging a future in a rapidly changing world. One of its key messages is that Canada is being ruined by immigrants.

“Our birthright has been stolen from us as we are being pushed out of society, academics and the workforce and replaced by foreigners without any roots or connection to the Canadian people,” the group’s website says without evidence. 

Halifax Regional Police confirmed Wednesday that between 20 and 25 members of the group had gathered on the Larry Uteck Boulevard overpass above Highway 102 around 4 p.m.

By the time police arrived, however, the group had moved to a nearby parking lot.

“Officers did not identify any criminal elements to the demonstration,” police said Wednesday in an emailed statement. “There were no arrests or public safety concerns noted.”

In the past year, Second Sons has staged demonstrations in Ottawa, Regina, Dartmouth, N.S., as well as the Ontario communities of Niagara-on-the-Lake, London and Orillia.

According to the Anti-Hate Network, Second Sons was founded by Jeremy Mackenzie, a former Canadian military veteran who served in Afghanistan and is originally from Nova Scotia’s Pictou County.

In 2020, MacKenzie started an online channel he called the Plaid Army, which promoted allegedly antisemitic and anti-Muslim views, says the non-profit network, which tracks far-right movements across Canada.

The Plaid Army eventually transformed into MacKenzie’s notion of Diagolon, a country that he says will one day include provinces and U.S. states aligned in a diagonal fashion between Alaska and Florida.

In 2022, a spokesperson for the Anti-Hate Network said MacKenzie promotes an “accelerationist” agenda that calls for a civil war that will see the demise of communists, immigrants and all liberal-minded people.

Meanwhile, the RCMP have called Diagolon a militia-like network with members who are “armed and preparing for violence.”

MacKenzie did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Previously, he has denied promoting violent, extremist or racist views. And he has maintained Diagolon is simply a loose-knit community of fans of his podcast.

In June 2024, a Nova Scotia judge dismissed charges against MacKenzie that alleged he and a woman harassed the province’s chief medical officer during the COVID-19 pandemic. The judge said the case took too long to get to trial.

At the time, the Mounties alleged the pair had staged protests over three days on the street where Dr. Robert Strang lived in Fall River, N.S., east of Halifax. Published reports showed a handful of people with placards gathered on the street to oppose the COVID-19 health protection measures at the time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.