2005 Toledo Riot
Encyclopedia
National Socialist Movement (United States)
The National Socialist Movement is a neo-Nazi party operating in the United States. The group was founded in 1974 by Robert Brannen, former member of the American Nazi Party before its decline. The group claims to be the largest and most active neo-Nazi organization in the United States. Its...
, a Neo-Nazi organization, planned a march to protest African-Americans gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
activity in the North End of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The appearance of the group sparked a four-hour riot by elements within the assembled protesters, and caused a citywide curfew to be implemented for the remainder of the weekend.
Neo-Nazis plan to march through Toledo's North End
Several weeks before the rally, members of the National Socialist MovementNational Socialist Movement (United States)
The National Socialist Movement is a neo-Nazi party operating in the United States. The group was founded in 1974 by Robert Brannen, former member of the American Nazi Party before its decline. The group claims to be the largest and most active neo-Nazi organization in the United States. Its...
went door-to-door through a North Toledo neighborhood, and discussed with residents the possibility of addressing gang activity. The NSM claimed that a local resident invited the group, but the named individual refuted this claim, saying that the group misrepresented themselves and that he did not invite the NSM. The NSM planned to march through the North End of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
.
The group stated that the purpose of the march was to protest alleged gang activity in the area. Approximately fifteen supporters of the NSM gathered including Commander Bill White under police guard in preparation to march. They began an impromptu rally at the staging point for the march, shouting insults and other racial slurs at black members of the community.
Rally turns to rioting
Responses had been organized during the week leading up to the rally. Neighborhood residents, the Toledo chapter of the International Socialist OrganizationInternational Socialist Organization
The International Socialist Organization is a revolutionary socialist organization in the United States that identifies with the politics of International Socialism, a current of Trotskyism, and the Marxist political tradition that American socialist writer and activist Hal Draper called...
, local anarchist organizations, and Anti-Racist Action
Anti-Racist Action
The Anti-Racist Action Network is a decentralized network of anti-fascist and anti-racists in North America. ARA activists organize actions to disrupt neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, and help organize activities against fascist and racist ideologies. ARA groups also oppose sexism,...
groups from other cities coordinated in planning a massive protest aimed at forcing the NSM rally to be cancelled. After forcing police to cancel the rally, the protesters directed aggression against the police in response to random arrests and police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
. This set off a four hour conflict between over 600 community members and the Toledo police force. Police cancelled the march as the situation between police and community members escalated. Members of the NSM and its supporters were told to leave town with a police escort. Local anarchist Lance Crandall has talked to the press about taking part in the counter-demonstration which sparked the riot.
While the neo-Nazi group had already left the park, most of the community members and protesters were unaware of this. Eleven police personnel suffered injury, and one female officer suffered a concussion after a brick smashed through the side window of her vehicle, hitting her in the head. Police, media vehicles and emergency vehicles were all targeted. A number of stores in the community were targeted by the crowd, including a local bar, believed by many locals to be a regular hangout for police and politicians, which was broken into and set on fire. A local gas station was also looted
Looting
Looting —also referred to as sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation, and pillaging—is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting...
. Police arrested more than 120 rioters, most of whom were residents of the North End. According to the mayor, a number of protesters were wearing gang colors
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
.
Although disturbed by the intentions to march, the city's mayor, Jack Ford, was extremely critical of the community's response, saying that it was "just what they [neo-Nazis] wanted." However, many of the protesters noted that the NSM, by their own admission, were unhappy about being forced out of the neighborhood. Ford declared that a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
existed, and the mayor then imposed an 8 pm curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
on the entire city. Police officers from several jusrisdictions, local SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
team members, and private security firms patrolled the North End that evening.
Neo-Nazis return for rally
The NSM were granted permission to rally at the Government Center in downtown Toledo on December 10, 2005. The Ohio State Highway PatrolOhio State Highway Patrol
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and is the official highway patrol agency of Ohio. The several missions of the Patrol include providing roadway patrol, emergency response to all public lands, the investigation of crimes which occur on state...
was responsible for security at the Center. The stated purpose of the rally was to protest how the city dealt with the previous planned march. Approximately 45 people participated in the one-hour rally, separated from 170 observers and counter protesters by approximately 700 law-enforcement personnel. The assembled police forces - which included local, state, and federal officers - had at their disposal such ancillary support as mounted patrols
Mounted police
Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and...
, armored personnel carriers
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
, and rooftop snipers
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
. In addition, a last minute injunction was granted by Judge Thomas Osowick on December 9, barring public gatherings of any kind for the following two weeks.
Aggressive policing of the counter-protesters, which included the reported use of police Taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
s, resulted in a total of 29 arrests. Three of those arrested were photojournalists covering the event. People entering the rally zone, including members of the media, were subject to searches, and police engaged in videotaping all persons near the rally site for what was termed as "intelligence gathering for future investigations." The majority of arrests occurred in the police controlled observation area; however, several people were arrested near public libraries for violating a court order banning unauthorized protests. Local attorneys and civil rights activists protested the unusually strict police tactics, summed up by one attorney: "What you have in Toledo is martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
for a day."
None of the neo-Nazi participants in the NSM rally were arrested, and they were escorted from the rally site in buses protected by police.
In retaliation, a local tattoo parlor that had allegedly been used as a base of operations for the NSM rally was vandalized later that night. The front window was smashed out with a rock marked with the anarchist circle "A" symbol. The owner of the parlor blamed the attack on a group called "The A Project"
See also
- Police riotPolice riotA police riot is a confrontation between police and civilians. The term can also describe a riot by civilians caused or instigated by police...
- Anti-Racist ActionAnti-Racist ActionThe Anti-Racist Action Network is a decentralized network of anti-fascist and anti-racists in North America. ARA activists organize actions to disrupt neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, and help organize activities against fascist and racist ideologies. ARA groups also oppose sexism,...
- List of riots
- Bill White (neo-Nazi)Bill White (neo-Nazi)William Alexander "Bill" White is the leader of the internet-based American National Socialist Workers' Party, and former administrator of Overthrow.com, a now-defunct website dedicated to anti-communist thought, and far-right interpretations of anti-Zionist and anti-capitalist speech.White came...
- National Socialist Movement (United States)National Socialist Movement (United States)The National Socialist Movement is a neo-Nazi party operating in the United States. The group was founded in 1974 by Robert Brannen, former member of the American Nazi Party before its decline. The group claims to be the largest and most active neo-Nazi organization in the United States. Its...