A prominent neo-Nazi who last year moved to Penobscot County with hopes of building a white ethno-state has been banned from Planet Fitness in Bangor.
Christopher Pohlhaus, the leader of the neo-Nazi group “Blood Tribe” who has been spotted waving a swastika flag and wearing a swastika necklace at LGBTQ+ events, was banned from Planet Fitness’ Bangor location due to his clothing, a company representative confirmed Friday.
“At Planet Fitness, we strive to maintain a welcoming, judgement [sic] free environment for our members, guests, and employees,” Heather Pearson, public relations manager for Planet Fitness, said. “Clothing with hateful, lewd or offensive messages is not permitted.”
Pearson did not specify what clothing triggered Pohlhaus’ ban from the national fitness chain, which was first reported by Crash Barry.
Pohlhaus is a former U.S. Marine turned tattoo artist who grew an online following through his podcast and selling white supremacist propaganda, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
He purchased 10 acres in Springfield, located just over an hour north of Bangor, in March 2022 for $25,000, the Portland Press Herald reported earlier this month.
The move came nearly a year after he was first reported to be sharing his desires to move to Maine to establish an all-white ethnostate on the far-right social media platform, Telegram.
The owner of a local gym in Springfield had previously asked Pohlhaus to leave her business, the owner told the Press Herald. He’d also been asked to leave The Forester Pub in Lincoln for shouting at patrons, staff told the newspaper.
Earlier this year, Pohlhaus and other Blood Tribe members disrupted a series of LGBTQ+ events in Ohio. At an event in Wadsworth, Ohio, Pohlhaus and his group carried a swastika flag, chanted “Sieg Heil” and yelled at participants.
At an April 29 drag brunch in Columbus, Ohio, members of the Blood Tribe again carried swastika flags and a banner that said, “There will be blood.”
Pohlhaus also has connections with the Nationalist Social Club (NSC-131), which in April marched in Portland through the Old Port and Monument Square, News Center Maine reported. Their demonstration ended in a fight with counter-protesters.
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