Gold9472
10-16-2005, 07:34 PM
Police Arrest 114 People In Toledo Riot
Neighbors: Neo-Nazis Had No Right To March In Area
http://www.nbc4i.com/news/5104645/detail.html
http://images.ibsys.com/2005/1015/5103172_320X240.jpg
UPDATED: 4:52 pm EDT October 16, 2005
TOLEDO, Ohio -- In the days leading up to a white supremacist march, ministers pleaded with Toledo residents to stay calm. Community leaders organized peace rallies to keep protesters away from the neo-Nazis.
Authorities even delayed releasing the route of the march so protesters wouldn't have advance notice of where the demonstration would take place.
It wasn't enough to stop an angry mob, some of whom were gang members, from looting and burning a neighborhood bar, smashing the windows of a gas station and hurling rocks and bricks at police on Saturday.
Much of the anger boiled over because residents were upset that city leaders were willing to allow about a dozen white supremacists to walk through the neighborhood and shout insults. The march was called off after rioting started.
"You can't allow people to come challenge a whole city and not think they weren't going to strike back," said Kenneth Allen, 47, who watched the violence begin near his home.
Police Chief Mike Navarre said Sunday that the riots escalated because members of the National Socialist Movement took their protest to the neighborhood, which is predominantly black, instead of a neutral place.
"If this march had occurred in downtown Toledo, we wouldn't have had the unrest," he said.
Mayor Jack Ford said there was little the city could do to stop the supremacist group because they did not apply for a parade permit and instead planned to walk along sidewalks.
"They do have a right to walk on the Toledo sidewalks," said Ford, who at one point confronted leaders of the mob and tried to settle them down. One gang member, the mayor said, threatened to shoot him.
Ford said if the Nazi group tries to come back, he would seek a court order to stop them.
Police arrested 114 on charges including assault, vandalism, failure to obey police, failure to disperse and overnight curfew violations. Twelve officers were injured, including one who suffered a concussion when a brick came through a side window of her cruiser and hit her in the head.
The disturbances were confined to a 1-square-mile area. At one point, the crowd grew to about 600 people.
Police began receiving word midweek from officers on the street that gangs were going to descend on the neighborhood, the police chief said.
"We knew during the preparation that it was going to be a tremendous challenge," Navarre said. "Anyone who would accuse us of being underprepared I would take exception with that."
However, he added the protest lasted longer and was more intense than expected.
The neo-Nazi group came to the city, which relies heavily on the auto industry and has high unemployment in minority neighborhoods, because of a dispute between neighbors, one white and the other black.
"This is not a police problem," Navarre said. "This is a social problem."
A state of emergency remained in effect through the weekend. About 200 officers patrolled the neighborhood overnight Sunday, Navarre said, and police reported no problems throughout the day.
A police helicopter hovered above the neighborhood in the afternoon and police also patrolled the area by car. Another overnight curfew was to be in effect starting at 8 p.m. Sunday.
The neighborhood northwest of downtown once was a thriving Polish community. Now it's a mix of Hispanic, Polish and black residents, many of them poor living in modest homes.
Community leaders had organized an "Erase the Hate" rally to draw people away from the march. The mayor spoke to 2,000 people at a Baptist church Friday night, urging them to ignore the neo-Nazis.
Terry Glazer, an organizer of the peace rally attended by about 300, said most of the neighborhood did avoid the neo-Nazi march. "It was a very small group that caused the problems," he said. "We had a great event going."
Many of those who turned violent ignored the peace rally and took to the streets. Many were young men, some wearing red hats and shirts. Police said some were gang members.
About two dozen members of the supremacist group, which calls itself "America's Nazi Party," had gathered at a city park just before noon Saturday to march under police protection.
People were "highly angry over the idea that someone from outside the community could come in and insult them on their turf," said Ford, who added that he understood that anger. "I heard that repeatedly."
A spokesman for the National Socialist Movement blamed police for losing control of the situation.
"They don't have the right to bring hate to my front yard," said Terrance Anderson, who lives near a bar that was destroyed. Three other businesses were looted or damaged.
Others said the neo-Nazis had the right to march. "Too bad the people couldn't ignore them," said Dee Huntley.
"Younger kids don't understand people promoting hate have a right to come through here," said Randy Matthews, 28.
Neighbors: Neo-Nazis Had No Right To March In Area
http://www.nbc4i.com/news/5104645/detail.html
http://images.ibsys.com/2005/1015/5103172_320X240.jpg
UPDATED: 4:52 pm EDT October 16, 2005
TOLEDO, Ohio -- In the days leading up to a white supremacist march, ministers pleaded with Toledo residents to stay calm. Community leaders organized peace rallies to keep protesters away from the neo-Nazis.
Authorities even delayed releasing the route of the march so protesters wouldn't have advance notice of where the demonstration would take place.
It wasn't enough to stop an angry mob, some of whom were gang members, from looting and burning a neighborhood bar, smashing the windows of a gas station and hurling rocks and bricks at police on Saturday.
Much of the anger boiled over because residents were upset that city leaders were willing to allow about a dozen white supremacists to walk through the neighborhood and shout insults. The march was called off after rioting started.
"You can't allow people to come challenge a whole city and not think they weren't going to strike back," said Kenneth Allen, 47, who watched the violence begin near his home.
Police Chief Mike Navarre said Sunday that the riots escalated because members of the National Socialist Movement took their protest to the neighborhood, which is predominantly black, instead of a neutral place.
"If this march had occurred in downtown Toledo, we wouldn't have had the unrest," he said.
Mayor Jack Ford said there was little the city could do to stop the supremacist group because they did not apply for a parade permit and instead planned to walk along sidewalks.
"They do have a right to walk on the Toledo sidewalks," said Ford, who at one point confronted leaders of the mob and tried to settle them down. One gang member, the mayor said, threatened to shoot him.
Ford said if the Nazi group tries to come back, he would seek a court order to stop them.
Police arrested 114 on charges including assault, vandalism, failure to obey police, failure to disperse and overnight curfew violations. Twelve officers were injured, including one who suffered a concussion when a brick came through a side window of her cruiser and hit her in the head.
The disturbances were confined to a 1-square-mile area. At one point, the crowd grew to about 600 people.
Police began receiving word midweek from officers on the street that gangs were going to descend on the neighborhood, the police chief said.
"We knew during the preparation that it was going to be a tremendous challenge," Navarre said. "Anyone who would accuse us of being underprepared I would take exception with that."
However, he added the protest lasted longer and was more intense than expected.
The neo-Nazi group came to the city, which relies heavily on the auto industry and has high unemployment in minority neighborhoods, because of a dispute between neighbors, one white and the other black.
"This is not a police problem," Navarre said. "This is a social problem."
A state of emergency remained in effect through the weekend. About 200 officers patrolled the neighborhood overnight Sunday, Navarre said, and police reported no problems throughout the day.
A police helicopter hovered above the neighborhood in the afternoon and police also patrolled the area by car. Another overnight curfew was to be in effect starting at 8 p.m. Sunday.
The neighborhood northwest of downtown once was a thriving Polish community. Now it's a mix of Hispanic, Polish and black residents, many of them poor living in modest homes.
Community leaders had organized an "Erase the Hate" rally to draw people away from the march. The mayor spoke to 2,000 people at a Baptist church Friday night, urging them to ignore the neo-Nazis.
Terry Glazer, an organizer of the peace rally attended by about 300, said most of the neighborhood did avoid the neo-Nazi march. "It was a very small group that caused the problems," he said. "We had a great event going."
Many of those who turned violent ignored the peace rally and took to the streets. Many were young men, some wearing red hats and shirts. Police said some were gang members.
About two dozen members of the supremacist group, which calls itself "America's Nazi Party," had gathered at a city park just before noon Saturday to march under police protection.
People were "highly angry over the idea that someone from outside the community could come in and insult them on their turf," said Ford, who added that he understood that anger. "I heard that repeatedly."
A spokesman for the National Socialist Movement blamed police for losing control of the situation.
"They don't have the right to bring hate to my front yard," said Terrance Anderson, who lives near a bar that was destroyed. Three other businesses were looted or damaged.
Others said the neo-Nazis had the right to march. "Too bad the people couldn't ignore them," said Dee Huntley.
"Younger kids don't understand people promoting hate have a right to come through here," said Randy Matthews, 28.