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Black Protester Gives Neo-Nazi A Hug And Stops His From Being Attacked

Black Protester Gives Neo-Nazi A Hug And Stops His From Being Attacked

He asked him 'why don't you like me, dog?'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A black protester hugged a neo-Nazi asking 'why don't you like me, dog?'

Aaron Courtney was with protesters outside the University of Florida, where Richard Spencer was giving speech, when he came face to face with a man wearing a t-shirt with swastikas on.

Protesters were punching, shouting and spitting at the man, who has since been named as Randy Furniss, until Courtney decided to end the hate and give him a hug.

A nazi and a black man.....America 2017

Courtney, a 31-year-old high school football coach from Gainesville, was heard shouting: "Why don't you like me, dog?" as he went in and hugged him.

The brave, and moving, moment was caught on camera and spread across social media like wildfire.

Courtney told the New York Daily News: "I could have hit him, I could have hurt him ... but something in me said, 'You know what? He just needs love.' Maybe he never met an African-American like this.

The man had been getting hit before Courtney stepped in. Credit: PA

"It's a step in the right direction. One hug can really change the world. It's really that simple."

What a cool guy.

Courtney said he arrived at the protest and realised he 'had the opportunity to talk to someone who hates my guts and I wanted to know why.'

So he began asking him: "'Why do you hate me? What is it about me? Is it my skin color? My history? My dreadlocks?'"

However he says the man ignored him and 'looked off into the distance'. Rather than getting angry, Courtney said he decided to give him a hug and ask him why he hated him.

He says that after asking him several times Furniss finally replied: "I don't know."

Credit: PA

Courtney said he completely believes what Furniss said and that 'he really doesn't know'.

And if that doesn't show how stupid all this hatred is, then I don't know what will.

Source: New York Daily News

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Florida, US News