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Former Neo-Nazi Removes Racist Tattoos Thanks To 'Unlikely Friendship'

Former Neo-Nazi Removes Racist Tattoos Thanks To 'Unlikely Friendship'

'I was a member of a skinhead group, a very violent group'

Michael Minay

Michael Minay

A former neo-Nazi has had his swastika tattoos removed after becoming friends with his black probation worker.

Michael Kent, who was part of a violent white supremacist group, previously had a swastika tattoo on his chest and the white supremacist motto 'white pride' inked on his back - however, he now says his views have changed completely. Watch the video below:

Credit: ABC News

His deeply-ingrained racist views were shaken when black parole officer Tiffany Whittier, 45, was assigned to his case.

Thirty-eight-year-old Kent tells ABC News: "If it wasn't for her I would have seeped back into it. I would think of her more like family.

"I was a member of a skinhead group, a very violent group," he explains.

Credit: ABC News

"My first racial tattoo was 'white pride' and I got two swastikas - one on my chest.

After describing his tattoos, Kent goes on to explain the story behind why he had them removed.

"This is kind of a good story, but an odd story," he says.

Credit: ABC News

"I got my caseload transferred to a black woman.

"She just marched up to my house and if it wasn't for her I probably would've been deep back into it."

Kent tells the news outlet that when Whittier first came round to his house, he had a Nazi flag up on his wall and she told him: "You need to take that crap down and start putting up more positive stuff, so that when you wake up, you see positive stuff instead of hate".

Credit: ABC News

Kent's tattoos were removed at Fallen Heroes tattoo studio in Colorado, in partnership with non-profit Redemption Ink, which removes hate tattoos free of charge.

He explains that he is now working on a chicken farm in Colorado where the majority of his co-workers are Hispanic.

"Before all this, I wouldn't work for anybody or with anybody who wasn't white," he says.

Credit: ABC News

"Now, out of 13 people that work with me, I'm the only white person there."

Speaking about his friendship with Whittier, Kent adds: "She gave me the strength and the courage to do what I'm doing and change my life."

Featured Image Credit: ABC News