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Man stabbed by anti-fascist because of his ‘neo-Nazi’ haircut

Mr Witt was left needing three stitches in his left hand after the attack which left his clothes splattered in blood: Facebook
Mr Witt was left needing three stitches in his left hand after the attack which left his clothes splattered in blood: Facebook

A man was attacked with a knife after being mistaken for a neo-Nazi because of his hair style, his friends say.

Joshua Witt, 26, was stepping out of his car outside a restaurant to buy a milkshake when the assailant lunged at him and swung the blade towards his head.

He held up his hands to defend himself in the attack in Sheridan, Colorado amid the frenzy and remembers the man saying: “Are you a neo-Nazi?”

Mr Witt luckily ended up only with minor injuries, suffering a deep cut below his left thumb which needed three stitches after the attack that left his clothes splattered with blood.

He didn't understand why he was targeted because he has no tattoos linking him to ultra-right wing groups and he is not aware of anything on his car linking him to fascism.

But his friends pointed out that his hairstyle, which is long on top and closely cropped at the sides, was to blame for the mix-up. Neo-Nazis often fully shave their heads.

It came amid a wave of backlash against fascists after a march by ultra-right wing groups in Charlottesville triggered clashes after white supremacists attacked counter-protestors.

Mr Witt posted a photo of his injured hand after the attack last Sunday on his Facebook page and wrote: “Sooooooo apparently I look like a neo-nazi and got stabbed for it. As the dude was swinging a small pocket knife over my car door.

"Luckily I put my hands up to stop it so he only stabbed my hand. Then he took off running and I was just sitting there in shock like what the heck dude.”

He added: “Please keep in mind there was no conversation between me and this dude. I was literally just getting out of my car. All I hear is, ‘Are you one of them neo-Nazis?”

One friend, Briana Celine Rosario, replied: “God was by your side. You are very lucky. That's a crazy story.”

Mr Witts said initially he had no idea why he was targeted – but his friends explained. “They say it’s my haircut,” he told The New York Post. And he is now thinking of changing it.

He added on Facebook: “I just don't understand this world anymore lol people are crazy.”

Mr Witts said he had reported the crime to the police but believes his attacker is still at large.