Riots in Toledo, Ohio

Karl Hungus

I'm quite suprised that nobody has posted anything about this, but there was a huge riot in Toledo after a planned Neo-Nazi march.

Nazi Rally Cancelled After Violence Erupts

NORTH TOLEDO -- Toledo Mayor Jack Ford has appealed for calm and declared a state of emergency after violence broke out Saturday before the start of a planned neo-Nazi march through a north Toledo neighborhood. Hundreds of people protesting the presence of the Nazi group threw rocks at police officers who were there to provide safety. Police used pepper spray and tear gas on the crowd.

The National Socialist Movement in Roanoke, Virginia, organized the march, saying the neighborhood had been beset with gang violence that threatens white residents. NSM calls itself "America's Nazi Party." About 24 to 30 Nazis started around 11:00am at a staging area under police control near Woodward High School., while the counter-protesters gathered outside. When the crowds got larger, and got out of control, Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre says the order was given to cancel the march around 12:00pm.

The Nazi marchers got in their cars and left, while the counter-protesters took over several city streets, growing more and more irate. Mayor Jack Ford says he went into the crowd with several city leaders to try to diffuse the situation. In a late-afternoon news conference, Ford said he was confronted in that crowd by gang members who had what he called "long-standing grievances."

Ford says negotiations were going on to settle the problem when the crowd broke into a building and set it on fire. That's when Police Chief Mike Navarre says he gave the order to clear the streets, and disperse the crowd.

At several points along the parade route, violence flared as people threw rocks, bottles, and insults at police crews and others. Officers wearing gas masks fired tear gas canisters and flash-bang devices designed to stun suspects, only to see the groups reappear nearby and resume throwing rocks and bottles.

At least two police cars were damaged, along with two TV news cars, a county Life Squad, and a fire truck. A city police officer was hurt when a rock hit him in the head, and two firefighters were hurt by flying glass in that Life Squad where the windshield was broken out by rocks. Navarre said officers had a report of a man shot in the area, but they had not found a victim or a gunman. No other protesters were injured.

Most of the violence was centered around Wilson Park near Striecher and Mulberry Streets. "They wanted attention, and they got a lot of attention," said Navarre. "They wanted a lot of counter protesters they got that. They got exactly what they wanted. It's unfortunate."

By late in the afternoon, crews had dispersed the bulk of the crowds. Police Chief Mike Navarre says there will be a heavy police presence in that north Toledo neighborhood for the next couple of days. Mayor Jack Ford has declared a state of emergency, and police will enforce an 8:00pm curfew as long as needed. The city is getting help from the Lucas County Sheriff's Office, as well as the Ohio Highway Patrol. "There may be some long-lasting community relations issues we're going to have to deal with in the future," said Lucas County Sheriff James Telb.

Bill White, a spokesman for the National Socialist Movement, blamed police for losing control of the situation. "If they'd done things as we planned and as we'd rehearsed, this wouldn't have happened," he said.

Police say the curfew is geared toward loiterers on city streets, not businesses, or people with a legitimate purpose to be on the streets. As a precaution, both Central Catholic High School and Start High School have cancelled their homecoming events. St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center has also cancelled its 150th Anniversary event that was planned for Sunday afternoon at Central Catholic High School.

When asked about what happened, Mayor Jack Ford said this is exactly what the National Socialist Movement wanted to happen. Ford says gang members took the march as an opportunity. He says city leaders will be talking to neighborhood leaders to find out ways to heal the city and solve the problems.

Thoughts?

Personally, I find this part interesting:

When the crowds got larger, and got out of control, Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre says the order was given to cancel the march around 12:00pm.

The Nazi marchers got in their cars and left, while the counter-protesters took over several city streets, growing more and more irate.

So, the "Counter-Protesters" won, they got the Nazis to cancel their protest.

I don't know about anyone else, but if I was counter-protesting something and won, I think that'd be cause for a beer! Perhaps I'm odd here, and my ideas of celebrating victory isn't running around looting stores, turning over cars, attacking ambulances and firebrigades, or burn down buildings.

Something else I found that was pretty disturbing, is that certain news sites are quite blatantly misrepresenting the truth. Take this article from ABC for example:

White Supremacists Riot in Toledo, Ohio

Mayor Of Toledo, Ohio, Declares Emergency, Sets Curfew After Hundreds Of White Supremacists Riot

That's the headline! All of a sudden it becomes "Hundreds Of White Supremacists"? That's a complete and utter reversal of the truth! Now, I for one am absolutely boggled by this. What reasons could there be for such blatant misrepresentation of the truth? What on earth does this acheive?

I honestly don't understand that.

Now, is anyone else wondering, what about the gang violence issues that the neo-nazi group were protesting in the first place? Or does anyone really care about that?

the_syco

Karl Hungus wrote:

Now, is anyone else wondering, what about the gang violence issues that the neo-nazi group were protesting in the first place? Or does anyone really care about that?

In a late-afternoon news conference, Ford said he was confronted in that crowd by gang members who had what he called "long-standing grievances."

It seems that the gang members that the Nazi's were concerned about voiced their concerns to the Mayor. Also, it was intresting that it said "gang members", and not "neighbourhood leaders".

BuffyBot

I honestly don't understand that.

To be honest, the whole issue does make the mind boggle slightly

Sand

So, the "Counter-Protesters" won, they got the Nazis to cancel their protest.

I don't know about anyone else, but if I was counter-protesting something and won, I think that'd be cause for a beer! Perhaps I'm odd here, and my ideas of celebrating victory isn't running around looting stores, turning over cars, attacking ambulances and firebrigades, or burn down buildings.

Most likely the counter protest was short on leadership figures, other than the more disreputable gang types which have been mentioned. Its hard to be sure when details are fairly scarce on who or what organised the counter protests. The police chief and city leaders apparently couldnt find any in the crowd.

A lot of the travelling "rent-a-mob" protestors however deliberately reject leadership and responsibility in protest and invite anyone and everyone along without attempting to co-operate with police or even form a common understanding on ground rules, and then wash their hands of the consequences when an angry/frustrated/whipped up mob brimming with moral outrage turn violent.

That's the headline! All of a sudden it becomes "Hundreds Of White Supremacists"? That's a complete and utter reversal of the truth! Now, I for one am absolutely boggled by this. What reasons could there be for such blatant misrepresentation of the truth? What on earth does this acheive?

I honestly don't understand that.

It could be two things...

Either lazy reporting where they hear about violence at a neo nazi rally and run with a sketchy summary fleshing it out with their assumptions. The NYT got in trouble a few years back for employing a journalist who basically wrote works of fiction for his "news" articles, so its possible some journalists dont look too hard at the details of stories in small towns.

Or they might feel they have an obligation, moral or otherwise, to paint a neo nazi organisation in the worst possible light to achieve a greater good even if it means lying. Its not beyond the boundaries of reason, but it actually benefits Neo-Nazis as they get evidence/proof of the great zionist conspiracy in washington planning to sell them out to Satan when the rapture comes or whatever

Now, is anyone else wondering, what about the gang violence issues that the neo-nazi group were protesting in the first place? Or does anyone really care about that?

Well its a common avenue of approach for racist groups to integrate themselves as the defenders of white communities threated by gang violence spreading from nearby non-white ghettos. Turning a crime problem into a race problem. So its not just a gang violence problem anymore. They did it in the North of England only a few years back where there was serious rioting in cities like York AFAIR as a reaction to the BNP moving in.

Dimitri

I recall seeing a documentary on the KKK having a protest and fear of attacks from counter protesters (had happened in the past). The way the mayor staged it was putting up a big steel fence down the street. klan on one side counter protesters on the other you cannot imagine how stupid the klan looked with twenty of their members standing around on half the street while thousands of counter protesters stood on the other. They finished up far sooner than they planned and agreed it was a failure. The neo nazis got the publicity they wanted out of the violence in toledo. I'm looking to try find that documentary on the web if i get it i'll throw up the link.