About That Black Woman Photographed With a Bunch of Supposed White Nationalists in DC...

Matt Vespa | July 08, 2026 6:30 AM

The fact that this didn’t get any traction says a lot. Dear members of the media, no one cares or fears the Patriotic Front, a supposed white nationalist group, which many online have mocked as an FBI stunt. They appear periodically. There was one stop in Idaho where I believe the number of these supposed white supremacists outmatched the town’s population. It’s a clown show.

A few of these folks used the DC Metro to get around for the Independence Day holiday, and this image of a Black woman surrounded by these people sparked reactions from the online lefty community. Again, no one paid it much mind. We were all just enjoying hot dogs, beer, hanging out with friends, and waiting for the fireworks show. Still, of course, The Washington Post had to write about this.

The image, captured by photographer Cheney Orr for Reuters, hit the news wires and then social media, drawing millions of views and provoking widespread commentary.
When the woman’s brother, Paul Bowlding, saw it on Instagram that day, he recognized the woman as his older sister: Bernita Bowlding, a 33-year-old mother of two.
Bernita Bowlding had told a family member earlier Saturday that she was taking the train to Silver Spring. As the photo of her circulated, hours passed without family members hearing from her. Paul Bowlding said he grew worried because his sister has struggled for years with mental illnesses. He considered going out to look for her, but he didn’t know where she could be.
“That’s basically like hounds surrounding her,” Paul Bowlding said of the photo.
Paul Bowlding said he was worried about his sister becoming a target. He said her past struggles, including that previous arrest, happened when she was in a mental health crisis.
It is not clear what occurred in the moments before and after the photo was taken. A Reuters editor said Orr was not available to comment.
The Washington Post has been unable to reach Bernita Bowlding. Her mother told The Post on Monday that her daughter lost her phone, and that the family usually has to wait until she calls or stops by to communicate with her.