Posted on by Sam

ID Bulletin: Nicholas J. Cerce, of Woonsocket RI

[originally published on November 5th, 2023, 12:05PM Eastern via Twitter, 12:06PM via Bluesky]

If anyone has any info about Nicholas J. Cerce a/k/a “Mike RI” of Woonsocket RI, or his wife Andrea Cerce née Battaglia, (who may also be going by Nick & Andrea Duarte) please contact me. Cerce has a long neo-fascist history, and is a member of Patriot Front, serial #PF-8894!

A triptych of images of Nick Cerce, of Woonsocket RI. The first image is an image of Cerce and his wife, Andrea Battaglia, circa 2018. In an extreme close-up, Battaglia appears to be faking biting Cerce's right index finger, and Cerce appears to be faking a scream. The second image is of Cerce in a park in Hopedale MA during October 2021. He is dressed in Patriot Front colors: tan baseball cap, white balaclava, navy blue t-shirt, khakis, and black boots. He is holding a flyer and delivering a speech to other members off-screen. A short stack of bleachers sits behind him, at half his height. The third image is of Cerce in Boston Common during the Men's March of November 2023. He is dressed in a navy blue jacket with a "Bar Harbor ME" emblem on the breast, a tan baseball cap with a Betsy Ross flag patch on the front, and khakis. He leans forward against a metal barricade, which stands at a height between his elbows and shoulders.

Just yesterday, Cerce was present at the Men’s March with other members of the local chapter (“Network 7”) of Patriot Front. He’s photographed here with NW7’s quartermaster Brian Harwood a/k/a “Henry MA” of Spencer MA, courtesy of @IdavoxOPP.

A photo of three members of Patriot Front, leaning forward against a metal barricade in Boston Common during the Men's March of November 2023. From left to right is Cerce, Brian Harwood of Spencer MA, and an unidentified member. Cerce is dressed in a navy blue jacket with a "Bar Harbor ME" emblem on the breast, a tan baseball cap with a Betsy Ross flag patch on the front, and khakis. He leans forward against a metal barricade, which stands at a height between his elbows and shoulders.
Cerce, Harwood, and another member of Patriot Front, Boston MA, November 2023.

Cerce is visually identifiable among other Patriot Front members by his unique facial moles and height. Photos with his wife in heels place him at 5’4″-ish, and according to the man himself: “sometimes I have to climb on my counter to reach the high cabinets in my kitchen.”

A screen-capture of a Facebook gallery photo. The photo depicts Nick Cerce and Andrea Battaglia kissing in front of a lake, likely during October 2018. A frame to the right includes the Facebook comment chain attached to the photo, with Battaglia as "Dreiiaa Rose" chatting with her social media friends. A log of a conversation between Cerse and Patriot Front Nework 7 Brian Harwood a/k/a "Henry Massachusetts," held on Patriot Front's internal Rocketchat server, dated 11/28/2021. Minimally edited for clarity, it reads: Harwood: "Happy Thanksgiving" Cerce: "Happy Thanksgiving my vertically challenged brother" Harwood: "Oh the pain BROTHER!" Cerce: "Yeah sometimes I have to climb on my counter to reach the high cabinets in my kitchen and when I'm done my knees hurt, sucks" Harwood: "Milk Crate bro! Your knees should never have to suffer" Cerce: "You're right, its just milk crates aren't as common as they used to be. What a red pill actually"

As a member of Patriot Front, Cerce is largely active in Rhode Island, though he’s willing to leave the state for group activities. Cerce took part in NW7’s training day in Hopedale MA on 10/17/21, as well as their Purgatory Chasm hike in Sutton MA during the weekend of 10/23/21.

An image of Cerce jogging with other Patriot Front members in a Hopedale MA park during October 2021. Cerce, in his Patriot Front garb, visibly lags behind other members. An image of Cerce speaking to other Patriot Front members in a Hopedale MA park during October 2021. Cerce, in his Patriot Front garb, holds some propaganda flyer as he orates.
Cerce, Hopedale MA, October 2021
An image of Cerce hiking with other Patriot Front members toward Purgatory Chasm in Sutton MA during October 2021. Cerce, wearing a black beanie, gray hoodie, khakis, and a black backpack, carries a black duffle as he walks through underbrush. He is followed by Patriot Front member Alex Beilman. An image of Cerce hiking with other Patriot Front members through Purgatory Chasm in Sutton MA during October 2021. Cerce, wearing a black beanie, gray hoodie, khakis, and a black backpack with a green patch on the back, carries a black duffle as he hikes up rocky terrain.
Cerce, Sutton MA, October 2021

During a window of time between 11/14/21 and 12/15/21, Cerce took responsibility for 16 separate promat events, including one at the @NEInstituteTech campus on 11/26/21.

A limited map of Cerce's activity as a member of Patriot Front during late 2021. Sixteen points on a map of Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts correspond to places Cerce has taken responsibility for stickering, flyering, or otherwise. They are as follows: 01: November 14th - Wyoming RI 02: November 21st - Woonsocket RI 03: November 21st - Providence RI 04: November 21st - Tiverton RI 05: November 21st - Little Compton RI 06: November 26th - North Kingstown RI 07: November 26th - NEIT, East Greenwich RI 08: November 28th - Bellingham MA 09: November 28th - Sharon MA 10: November 30th - Hope, Providence RI 11: December 1st - West Warwick RI 12: December 7th - Lincoln RI 13: December 8th - Providence RI 14: December 13th - Woonsocket RI 15: December 14th - West Warwick RI 16: December 15th - Cranston RI

The identification of Nick Cerce as “Mike RI” has been a long time coming, with credit to PVD 161, Ignite the Right, Unicorn Riot, Molly Conger, and other researchers who have opted to remain anonymous for their pieces of the puzzle. I’m just the guy who gets to put it together!

To the best of my knowledge, Cerce’s earliest white nationalist appearance was in a 2015 leak of Rand Paul’s donor list. The list places him in Woonsocket RI. There are indications he and his wife currently live in North Providence RI; I haven’t confirmed that at this point.

A screen-capture of a spreadsheet, itself an excerpt of a leaked list of donors to Kentucky state senator Rand Paul during 2015. Other names are redacted, save one "Nicholas Cerce" of Woonsocket RI.

On August 12th 2017, James Alex Fields murdered Heather Heyer and injured several more people during the Unite the Right rally. Fields marched with Thomas Rousseau, at the time a leader within neo-Nazi group Vanguard America, who would later leave VA to found Patriot Front.

Just before that though, elsewhere in Charlottesville VA, “Nick the Tick” Cerce, looking like a hanger-on while repping gear for neo-fascist group Anti-Communist Action and the “Radical Agenda” podcast, marched with Matt Heimbach’s Traditionalist Workers Party.

An image of Cerce during Unite the Right, marching with several other members of the Traditionalist Workers Party. He is peeking out from between two other, much taller members. He wears a black baseball cap with a yellow "Anti-Communist Action" emblem on the front. An image of Cerce during Unite the Right. He wears a black baseball cap with a yellow "Anti-Communist Action" emblem on the front, and a black t-shirt with the word "Radic" on the front (likely meant to spell out "Radical Agenda").
An image of Cerce during Unite the Right, marching with several other members of the Traditionalist Workers Party. He is standing foreground to two other, much taller members. He wears a black baseball cap with a yellow "Anti-Communist Action" emblem on the front, and a black backpack.
Cerce, Charlottesville VA, August 2017

Cerce wasn’t repaid well for his loyalty to Radical Agenda! He was a casualty of the slap fight between host Chris Cantwell and the Bowl Patrol, and was first doxxed by someone who can be safely assumed was a member of the Bowl Patrol sometime in 2018.

A screen-capture of a Twitter post made by a since-suspended user going by "Agent Boofwell." The post identifies Cerce as "Nichola Fischer" and "Nicholas Duarte," and includes several photos of his face, as well as a couples photo with his wife.

For context: Chris Cantwell and the Bowl Patrol, a bunch of neo-Nazis who venerate the 2015 Charleston SC mass shooter, started out as pals before… stopping being pals. It was a whole thing, Cantwell caught 41 months for threats made against one of them. 

Cerce was still a Cantwell fan as of November 2021, where he admitted to NW7’s “network scribe” Alex Beilman that he and wife Andrea were corresponding to Cantwell while he was in prison.

A log of a conversation between Cerse and Patriot Front Network 7 member Alex Beilman a/k/a "Tyler Connecticut," held on Patriot Front's internal Rocketchat server, dated 11/17/2021. The following has been edited for clarity. Cerce: "Okay, so action report this week is my goal was 1 and I met that goal and flyered Wyoming, Rhode Island. I also met up with Harwood to provide for the treasury and buy some propaganda materials to last me a little while, anyway, on Sunday night. So my goal this up coming week will be 4. I didn't run this week because I have a killer sore throat right now and all that cold nose inhaling at night, oof. I don't even wanna think about how it'd feel right now, should be good by next week though, I'm sure. I am also still reading the same 2 books and have been monitoring the Charlottesville trial still. Wrote a letter with my wife to Chris Cantwell to show our support. I'm not gonna be able to make it this weekend, but I will of course be out stickering with that time so no worries there. And I did what I've been told is a really good job giving a speech as my brother's best man for his wedding as well, and I owe my courage and better public speaking in large part to this organization's help, improving my character in many ways and the support of my brothers in it." Beilman: "Nice. I've been reading more of those Antelope Hill publishing books. I read 'Livin' the Dream' and now I'm on 'Conquering Berlin.' I think you mentioned that second one at one point. I remember you describing the scene where the police search the National Socialist German Workers' Party for weapons, and the National Socialist German Workers' Party are all making jokes. I didn't realize the book was fiction, but it's still a great read." Cerce: "Yeah, it's like historical fiction, all the big events actually happened." A log of a conversation between Cerse and Patriot Front Network 7 member Alex Beilman a/k/a "Tyler Connecticut," held on Patriot Front's internal Rocketchat server, dated 11/24/2021. The following has been edited for clarity. Cerce: "Okay, so action report for this week is I had a goal of 4 places to promat and I met that goal. I stickered in Woonsocket, Providence, Tiverton, & Lincoln, Rhode Island. My goal for this upcoming week will be 4 as well. I also ran a mile yesterday. I finished both books, 'A New Nobility of Blood and Soil' by Walther Darré and 'Popular Government' by Henry Sumner Maine. I am waiting for 2 new books to come in that I plan on starting as soon as they do. I didn't attend last weekend's meet up, unfortunately, but I plan to attend our Thanksgiving one this weekend! I will also be repairing the blower in my car tonight as well. Me and my wife wrote a letter to Chris Cantwell in prison to encourage him at the trial. I also spoke with him on the phone a few days ago and he is doing well. The trial was unfortunate, not the ideal outcome for our guys. But that's okay, they can't stop what we have started anyway. I will make it to the meeting tonight, but I will not be talking because I literally have no voice right now." Beilman: "Excellent work as always! The Thanksgiving meet-up was changed to a drilling/banner drop/stencil meetup instead. We'll do that on Sunday." Cerce: "Yeah, I know, lol, that's what I meant but thank you"

Anyway, Cerce & Andrea Battaglia (who likely met while she was still dating Traditionalist Workers Party organizer Derrick Davis) got hitched, as noted here by the indefatigable @socialistdogmom. Their couples photos were instrumental in this identification!

the world of extremely online racists really is so small! TWP “quartermaster,” “commander” derrick davis’ ex fiancee andrea “dreiiaa bat” battaglia is married to nicholas “nick cerce” duarte.

— molly conger (@socialistdogmom) September 22, 2019

With his name, I was able to daisy-chain a guestbook entry in his grandfather’s obituary, to his brother’s social media profile, to the wedding Cerce best-manned at on November 24th, 2021.

A screen capture of a guestbook entry in an obituary belonging to a Nicholas Cerce Jr. of Providence RI. The name of its author has been blurred. Dated 09/06/05, the entry (edited for clarity) reads: "My grandfather was a great man. Anyone who knew him or had the chance to get to know him would tell you just the same. He filled your life with joy and comfort and you could never be sad or angry around him because he made you feel good and made you smile. He was so caring and patient with everything he did and he had a heart of gold. He left a legacy of what a true gentleman and a good person stands for. He leaves a standard- a goal of what kind of man I want to be. He would do anything he could do in his power for you and enjoyed making others happy. In the world we live in today it was so comforting to know such a genuine person was in my life. Papa, we will all miss you- it wont be the same without you here - but we know you are in a better place and that you are looking down on the family as our special guardian angel. I Love You - your grandson" A screen-capture of a Facebook profile's "About" page, with identifying details redacted. The Overview is opened, and includes an entry stating that the profile's owner was married to his wife on November 13th, 2021. The owner's name is blurred, though I do assure you it belongs to the same man who wrote the guestbook entry on Nicholas Cerce Jr.'s obituary.
A conversation between Cerce and Patriot Front Network 7 member Alex Beilman a/k/a "Tyler Connecticut," dated November 14th 2021. Cerce says: "Just so you know the wedding went very well and the speech was a huge success so I made God the family and our forefathers proud I think thanks in large part to the org building me up into a more solid man. Thanks for the encouragement Tyler."

Sure enough, when I check the happy bride’s Facebook comments, I found Andrea Cerce’s stealth profile. Feels like we’re on the right track, no?

A screen-capture of a Facebook profile update, posted to a user's wall. The user's identity has been redacted. In the comments, a user by "Andrea Ce" compliments the user, and the user responds by identifying "Andrea Ce" as "Andrea Cirse." A screen-capture of a Facebook gallery photo, posted by "Andrea Ce." The photo is a selfie of Andrea in the mountains. This is clearly a photo of Andrea Cerce née Battaglia, Nick Cerce's wife.

It pleases me that Cerce has made the mistake of sticking his head up here in Boston! I verified his ID not a week-and-a-half ago, but I had concerns that he might’ve no longer been a member. That’s obviously not the case in an example of delightful, impeccable timing.

I don’t know which John Doe # on Foley Hoag’s lawsuit that makes Nicholas J. Cerce of Pawtucket RI, but I look forward to spelunking through footage to confirm that he gets his!

This all does come with a retraction: I’m afraid I incorrectly IDed the Patriot Front member here, at the SatanCon protest during April 2023, as Cerce. For one thing, this guy is TOO TALL.

I’ll continue, among other things, working on a hilariously thorough dossier for Nick Cerce of Woonsocket RI! There is so much about this guy out there (I got to check a voiceprint! I’ve never done one of those before), and it’s gonna take time to compile it into something readable.

Stay tuned; there is still much work that needs to be done. ∴