Columbia prepares for march
http://www.krcg.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=29472
By Mark Slavit
Posted: Friday, March 09, 2007 at 5:30 PM
COLUMBIA -- In less than 24 hours, about fifty neo-Nazis plan to march through the streets of Columbia. Leaders of the National Socialist Movement say they want to protest Mizzoufs promotion of homosexuality, immigration, degradation and destruction of society. Columbia community and church leaders tell us that members of the white supremacist group want to entice violence from counter protestors and recruit more people for their cause.
Religious leaders plan to march along the same route through Columbia as the neo-Nazis. The prayer procession for peace will take place at seven ofclock on Saturday morning. The neo-Nazis plan to begin their march at noon.
gWefre going to claim that territory as holy ground,h says Rev. Mary Hull, with the St. Paul AME Church. gWefre going to march and pray that there will be peace, that there will be no conflicts and that there will be no outbreaks along that route.h
The neo-Nazi march will take place near the Mizzou campus and downtown Columbia. Downtown business leaders want to conduct business as usual, despite the march.
gI think the policy is to just do what we would normally,h says Carrie Gartner, with the District. gObviously, if someonefs inside of a business creating a stink, thatfs a different issue. Itfs not where we are going to shut our doors to people.h
Security will be tight between noon and five ofclock on Saturday in Columbia. Columbia police is getting help from the Missouri Highway Patrol, the Boone County Sherifffs Department and the MU Police Department.
Columbia police administrators are doing all they can to make the Nazi march a non-event. They told me that their best advice is to just ignore them.
Police administrators say they have more concerns about counter-protestors than the neo-Nazis. gThey want protestors down there because they are able to incite these people into violence against them so they look like the victim,h says CPD Capt. Zim Schwartze. gWefve even been told that if there is not enough from the crowd towards them or enough anger, they sometimes will have their own members go out into the crowd and pretend to be a protestor to incite those around them.h
During a similar march in Toledo, Ohio two years ago, more than 100 counter-protestors were arrested after police lost control of rioters.
Columbia businesses and community groups are planning several free and discounted events to counter the neo-Nazi march.
http://www.showmenews.com/2007/Mar/20070309News006.asp
Teens brush off advice on march
Ignore the Nazis, teacher implores.
By JANESE HEAVIN of the Tribunefs staff
Published Friday, March 9, 2007
While most community leaders are asking people to avoid a planned neo-Nazi march tomorrow in downtown Columbia, some high school students say they plan to attend in hopes of witnessing history.
"How many times do the Nazis come marching through your hometown?" Hickman High School senior Tommy Goran asked in Jami Thornsberry’s social studies class yesterday. "Once in a lifetime."
Thornsberry used the National Socialist Movement’s planned event in Columbia to teach her classes about First Amendment rights and to let the students share their impressions of the march.
The neo-Nazi group plans to protest what it believes to be the University of Missouri’s promotion of Marxism, but students said they think that’s just an excuse to come to Columbia and promote their vision of an all-white America.
Thornsberry encouraged the teens to avoid the parade, as requested by Mayor Darwin Hindman and others. "Do not feed the beast," she said. "Do not dine with the devil."
Senior Jaleesa Carter-Jackmon, who is black, plans to follow the advice and stay away from the parade area. "I don’t think of flowers and prettiness when I hear the word ‘Nazi’," she said.
But about half of Thornsberry’s 20 Law in Society students said they plan to go, despite the wishes of their parents, teachers and the police.
"I just want to witness it," senior Myron Thomas said. Myron, who is black, knows the neo-Nazi group will use racist slang, but he said he’s prepared to handle it. "I’ve heard it before. It won’t bother me," he said.
Thornsberry warned students that even if they attend just out of curiosity, they might not be able to control their reactions once they get there.
"Do not validate the Nazis," she said.
A couple of students questioned how people who work downtown are expected to handle the situation. "That’s the blowback," Thornsberry said. The request for people to avoid the area "is terrible for the businesses."
Special Business District Director Carrie Gartner agreed, but she said it’s possible to ignore the neo-Nazis without ignoring downtown merchants. "It’s business as usual," she said. "I don’t know about Marxism, but down here I can assure you that we are all capitalists," she said.
Some of Thornsberry’s students said their Rock Bridge High School counterparts are planning to throw water- and Jell-O-filled balloons at the marchers. Rock Bridge social studies teacher David Egan said he hasn’t heard that rumor. "All the students I have talked to either plan to totally ignore it or attend the event at Douglass Park," he said in an e-mail, referring to a peaceful counterdemonstration planned from noon to 5 p.m. tomorrow.
Columbia police Capt. Brad Nelson said police are aware of the rumor and warned teenagers that anyone who breaks the law will be arrested, regardless of age. "If a person were to throw a water balloon at somebody, they would most likely be arrested for assault," he said.
Nelson dismissed the notion that police would be there to protect the neo-Nazi marchers, a concern some Kewpies expressed yesterday.
"We’ll be there in an effort to maintain peace and order," Nelson said. "We’ll be there to protect citizens, regardless of which group they’re associated with."
He encourages parents to tell teenagers that their actions won’t change the marchers’ minds. He also said students might think the event is "much bigger than it really is."
"Having a hate group walking downtown, I don’t know if that’s history I’d want to be a part of," Nelson said.
Reach Janese Heavin at (573) 815-1705 or jheavin@tribmail.com.
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