Southern California's Inland Empire Region a Breeding Ground for Hate Groups

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A white supremacist gang is linked to attacks on Hemet police. Experts say the region is fertile ground for such groups.

Robert Faturechi and Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Hemet and Los Angeles

Residents in Hemet have long known that there is a skinhead element in their city.

They said they have occasionally seen groups of tattooed young men with shaved heads in combat boots and fatigues protesting against illegal immigration.

But authorities now are investigating something far more serious: whether white supremacists are behind a series of attacks on Police Department facilities in the Riverside County city.

More than 150 law enforcement officials raided various sites in the area Tuesday, arresting 23 people. Investigators believe the attacks — including a booby trap at a police office — were the work of a white supremacist gang with roots in the area.

Law enforcement officials have been cracking down on such gangs in recent years. Experts who study hate groups said Hemet and surrounding communities are particularly fertile ground for white supremacists. They estimated that there are at least a dozen groups operating in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, said there have been several hate incidents as well as leaflet distributions by white supremacist groups in Riverside County in the last two years, including several believed tied to the election of President Obama.

"There is a significant concentration of hate groups in the Inland Empire, unlike anywhere else in the nation, from the National Socialist Movement to the Hammerskins to" the Comrades of our Racist Struggle, he said.

Ten days after the 2008 presidential election, a 19-year Latino man was beaten by a group of white men in Hemet. Seven members and associates of the Comrades group were arrested by Hemet police, and four were prosecuted. Their trial begins next month. Another member of the gang was recently convicted of witness tampering in the case.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department last year arrested members of the Inland Empire Skinheads gang in connection with several home-invasion robberies and an attempted murder case.

Hemet authorities, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing, declined to say what groups were under investigation.

The attacks began last year when a booby trap was set at the headquarters of the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force, officials said. In December, a utility line was redirected to fill the offices with gas. Officials said a spark could have triggered a devastating explosion.

In February, a "zip gun" was hidden by the gate to the task force office and rigged to fire. When a gang officer opened the gate, the weapon went off, and the bullet narrowly missed him, authorities said. In early March, police said, a "dangerous" device was found near the unmarked car of a task force member. That was followed by an arson attack on four city code-enforcement trucks March 23.

There have been many theories over the months about who was responsible for the attacks.

Last month, authorities arrested 33 alleged members of the Vagos motorcycle gang. After the operation, Riverside County Dist. Atty. Rod Pacheco said in an interview that the Vagos were "an extreme threat to law enforcement." But authorities have never formally said that the gang was involved.

Tracie Long, 38, a Hemet sales clerk, said she has seen skinheads in the city but said she's had no dealings with them. She said dozens of skinheads recently congregated on a major street corner to protest pending immigration legislation.

Long said she was skeptical that Tuesday's arrests would solve the mystery of the attacks.

"Until they can prove it, no one knows for sure," she said.

Hemet Police Department Capt. Dave Brown said authorities are being methodical in the case and would not release many details. None of those arrested have yet been charged with crimes related to the case, but Brown said he was "optimistic" they will be soon. The arrests have also produced new leads, he said.

Mark Potok, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, said demographic change in the Inland Empire has helped fuel some white hate groups.

"You have seen a great deal of migration to the Inland Empire and a huge demographic change. And with that change we have seen a lot of conflict," he said.

robert.faturechi@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com

http://www.latimes.c...t-hate-20100422,0,6860438.story

Edited April 22, 2010 by El Buscador

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Must be all them retirees living in nearby Palm Springs.

[The_Dude 1,142]

For as long as I can remember, the Inland Empire (Valley of The Dirt People) has been like that.

[Ali G. 37]

What about South Central or Hispanic gang territories that plague that state? I guess it's different when minorities are hateful.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Ali G.

[The_Dude 1,142]

What about South Central or Hispanic gang territories that plague that state? I guess it's different when minorities are hateful.

BY, the white supremacist gangs are a much different beast. They do employ fear, intimidation and violence as their main weapons, but they are different in nature. I'm not saying they are worse than the other gangs, just different. The end result with any gang is a degraded neighborhood.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

BY, the white supremacist gangs are a much different beast. They do employ fear, intimidation and violence as their main weapons, but they are different in nature. I'm not saying they are worse than the other gangs, just different. The end result with any gang is a degraded neighborhood.

BY isn't exactly into nuance.

[Ali G. 37]

BY, the white supremacist gangs are a much different beast. They do employ fear, intimidation and violence as their main weapons, but they are different in nature. I'm not saying they are worse than the other gangs, just different. The end result with any gang is a degraded neighborhood.

White supremacy groups are a bunch idiots and usually harmless.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

White supremacy groups are a bunch idiots and usually harmless.

Ask anyone who lives in the inner city and they will tell you their local gang is "usually" harmless too. You can live in the hood day after day and not get shot, except for that one time you do get shot. But they're still "usually" harmless.

Problem is, "usually harmless" isn't good enough.

[The_Dude 1,142]

White supremacy groups are a bunch idiots and usually harmless.

No, they are very dangerous here. The big problem is that they are unpredictable, unlike the more traditional gangs you see in inner cities. Their actions are not driven by money, or clout, they are driven by hatred and politics.

[SMOKE 1,426]

No, they are very dangerous here. The big problem is that they are unpredictable, unlike the more traditional gangs you see in inner cities. Their actions are not driven by money, or clout, they are driven by hatred and politics.

all gangs are driven by the same thing. a desire to have power over others.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yes, that's why online gamer gangs use the word 'pwn' so much.

[The_Dude 1,142]

all gangs are driven by the same thing. a desire to have power over others.

You're oversimplifying it here though. Yes, at the root of their motivation is power. However, there are distinct differences between inner city gangs, and white supremacist gangs.

Yes, that's why online gamer gangs use the word 'pwn' so much.

Spoken like a true n00b

[Ali G. 37]

all gangs are driven by the same thing. a desire to have power over others.

Exactly. Many say it's because of socioeconomics. Bull #######! Watch the gangland shows and you will see many of these gang bangers have 9 to 5 jobs. The difference is that because they assault and kill their own community, as well as others, it's overlooked. Whereas, the second a Caucasian focuses on color in America - they're done.

I have been here for nearly five years now and can count on one hand how many hate crimes I have seen from Caucasions. Whereas, at least once a week, one of the two minorities will do something but because the victims are white, it's overlooked and considered just crime. Sad state of affairs actually. Sure its anecdotal but it doesn't take a comprehensive study to see a pattern. Then again, any attempt to study that would be grounds for racism allegations.

I was proud of this guy the other day. About time someone in the community called out the BS that Douche Jackson and Al Donkeyton overlook. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7v_Ntih2k&

[Ali G. 37]

You're oversimplifying it here though. Yes, at the root of their motivation is power. However, there are distinct differences between inner city gangs, and white supremacist gangs.

In five years, I have only seen and overheard one white supremacist here. Whereas, Hispanic and black gangs plague the area.

The problem with this mentality is that people focus on the few that are supremacist idiots, yet downplay or even ignore the massive gang problem facing America. A situation that is actually driving the country into the second world. I guess some people literally want America to end up a Latin/African-esque country.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

In five years, I have only seen and overheard one white supremacist here. Whereas, Hispanic and black gangs plague the area.

Oh yeah, life in NoVa is rough