Weird Little Guys CZM Rewind: Burning Hate: Tyler Dykes
Dec 11, 2025
Dive into the chilling story of Tyler Dykes, a key figure in the 2017 Charlottesville torch march. From his Nazi salutes to a brief stint in the Marines, his journey is filled with controversy. The podcast covers his arrest linked to a sealed indictment and the FBI's probing into his activities tied to the January 6 riots. Explore the complexities of extremist networks like Southern Suns and the chilling evidence found on Dykes' phone. The discussion delves into his sentencing and an unsettling lack of renunciation of extremist beliefs.
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Escalation Pattern
- Dykes' path repeats common patterns: military service, extremist group ties, then escalation to more serious crimes.
- Lack of early accountability allowed him to become emboldened and commit federal offenses later.
Two Defining Images
- Tyler Dykes appears in two defining images: at Charlottesville holding a torch and giving a Nazi salute, and on January 6 giving the same salute at the Capitol.
- Those two moments bookend his radicalization and public extremist actions over several years.
Charlottesville Torch March
- On August 11, 2017, Dykes marched in Charlottesville with a torch and chanted white supremacist slogans while surrounding student counter-protesters.
- The march encircled and intimidated a small group of students at the Thomas Jefferson statue, escalating quickly into violence.