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8 Neo-Nazis met by 200 counterprotesters
Eight Neo-Nazis rallying against illegal immigration Saturday in Riverside fled in the face of 200 counterprotesters who snatched and tore up swastika-covered flags and chanted "Nazis go home."
Scheduled to last two hours, the protest ended after 45 minutes when police officers, who wore riot gear but made no arrests, advised the Neo-Nazi's to leave. Counterprotesters spit on the Neo-Nazi's Suzuki and Hyundai cars as they drove away.
"Its nice that so many people came out to basically say that we don't tolerate racism in Riverside County," said Emilio Amaya, a counterprotester and executive director of the San Bernardino Community Service Center, which provides legal services to immigrants.
Mike O'Dell, a member of the National Socialist Movement, which organized the rally, said in a phone interview afterward that he was pleased the group got its message out. He said the counterprotesters didn't disrupt the rally.
"Apparently the Riverside Police Department guaranteed there would be enough security for this event," said O'Dell, 42, of San Francisco, who wore black pants, black boots and a black National Socialist Movement T-shirt during the protest. "As it turned out, they didn't have enough security."
Riverside police Lt. Larry Gonzalez said the department provided plenty of protection. He denied that police asked the Neo-Nazis to leave and said that they left on their own.
"I thought we did a perfectly fine job of protecting them," Gonzalez said. "It could have been way worse. It was just a bunch of groups against the NSM."
Jeff Hall, a Riverside resident and state director of National Socialist Movement, which the Anti-Defamation League identifies as the nation's largest Neo-Nazi organization, never reached the rally because his car broke down, he said in a phone interview. He said he was proud of members that attended.
"Our guys stood strong," Hall said. "They were being attacked viciously and repeatedly. The police obviously weren't prepared."
The rally, which involved a lot of yelling between the groups and several physical altercations, took place in front of a Farmer Boys restaurant on Madison Avenue.
The restaurant is adjacent to a Home Depot, where day laborers gather.
The protest caused members of Arlington High School dance team to leave their car wash fundraiser at Farmer Boys.
A second counterprotest, attended by about 200 people, was held Saturday morning at Riverside City hall, said Kevin Akin, an organizer and the Riverside County and state chairman of the Peace and Freedom Party. Thirty-two community organizations sponsored the event, he said.
Sergio Ramos, a 22-year-old Riverside City College student, attended both counterprotests with eight fellow members of the Student Alliance For Education, a group that supports undocumented students. He was pleased with the results.
"I just think they got what they deserved because they don't deserve to be here," Ramos said.
Scheduled to last two hours, the protest ended after 45 minutes when police officers, who wore riot gear but made no arrests, advised the Neo-Nazi's to leave. Counterprotesters spit on the Neo-Nazi's Suzuki and Hyundai cars as they drove away.
"Its nice that so many people came out to basically say that we don't tolerate racism in Riverside County," said Emilio Amaya, a counterprotester and executive director of the San Bernardino Community Service Center, which provides legal services to immigrants.
Mike O'Dell, a member of the National Socialist Movement, which organized the rally, said in a phone interview afterward that he was pleased the group got its message out. He said the counterprotesters didn't disrupt the rally.
"Apparently the Riverside Police Department guaranteed there would be enough security for this event," said O'Dell, 42, of San Francisco, who wore black pants, black boots and a black National Socialist Movement T-shirt during the protest. "As it turned out, they didn't have enough security."
Riverside police Lt. Larry Gonzalez said the department provided plenty of protection. He denied that police asked the Neo-Nazis to leave and said that they left on their own.
"I thought we did a perfectly fine job of protecting them," Gonzalez said. "It could have been way worse. It was just a bunch of groups against the NSM."
Jeff Hall, a Riverside resident and state director of National Socialist Movement, which the Anti-Defamation League identifies as the nation's largest Neo-Nazi organization, never reached the rally because his car broke down, he said in a phone interview. He said he was proud of members that attended.
"Our guys stood strong," Hall said. "They were being attacked viciously and repeatedly. The police obviously weren't prepared."
The rally, which involved a lot of yelling between the groups and several physical altercations, took place in front of a Farmer Boys restaurant on Madison Avenue.
The restaurant is adjacent to a Home Depot, where day laborers gather.
The protest caused members of Arlington High School dance team to leave their car wash fundraiser at Farmer Boys.
A second counterprotest, attended by about 200 people, was held Saturday morning at Riverside City hall, said Kevin Akin, an organizer and the Riverside County and state chairman of the Peace and Freedom Party. Thirty-two community organizations sponsored the event, he said.
Sergio Ramos, a 22-year-old Riverside City College student, attended both counterprotests with eight fellow members of the Student Alliance For Education, a group that supports undocumented students. He was pleased with the results.
"I just think they got what they deserved because they don't deserve to be here," Ramos said.
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