'Imposing and festive': Writers infiltrate Christmas party at castle HQ of far-right group

A pro-Trump white nationalist group was involved in a lavish Christmas party in a 19th-century West Virginia castle where right-wing radicals regularly gather for conferences, The Daily Beast reported.

The website gave a detailed inside look at the surreal gathering, which was hosted by the non-political group The Bath Christmas Project.

But that group, which exists to bring Christmas cheer to the neighborhood, is supported by the founders of the extreme right-wing group VDARE who own the Berkeley Springs castle which hosted the event, the Daily Beast wrote.

The party, held last Friday, was infiltrated by Beast writers Hannah Gais and Michael Hayden.

Called “It’s Time to Sparkle," the party was "both imposing and festive," they said. Despite the pair's adversarial reporting on VDARE in the past, they were allowed to attend the event.

"The Bath Christmas Project, which sold tickets, did not disclose VDARE’s involvement in it when advertising on social media. Based on conversations we had, many of the 30 or so people who attended the event seemed unaware that they were munching smoked salmon and baked brie in the offices of a group that worries aloud about 'white genocide,'" The Beast's report stated.

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The "ostensibly non-political" Bath Christmas Project hosted the $65-per person event. VDARE founders Peter and Lydia Brimelow have involved themselves in the project since 2021, with the objection of some locals, who say it is mainstreaming the group and making them more palatable to their neighbors.

"We suspect that many people, particularly people of color, would be interested in learning that their community Christmas party took place in the offices of a white nationalist group," Gais and Hayden write.

After Peter and Lydia Brimelow arrived, Lydia reportedly noticed The Beast's reporters were in attendance, causing her face to "drop."

When the pair finally left, they were followed to the door by a man who warned them not to come back.

“You’re not welcome here,” the man said.

Read the full report over at The Daily Beast.