Gangs called truce for united front to neo-Nazis, Toledo police say

Christina Hall:

In the days leading up to the scheduled neo-Nazi rally in North Toledo, police gathered intelligence that gang members would be present and do something if they had the opportunity.

No specifics were mentioned, but police prepared for retaliation by gang members and their associates. They didn't plan for people to turn on the police.

"The intelligence indicated they were calling a peace among themselves and [would] show a unified front. They felt the Nazis were challenging them," police Deputy Chief Derrick Diggs said. "Why they looted, I can't answer that."

Police are still sorting through who was involved in the riot that followed a planned National Socialist Movement rally, which was canceled before it even started. Authorities have arrested 119 people since the riot, including some for violating the citywide curfew that was in effect until yesterday.

More arrests could follow as police view video taken by the department and from some businesses. They will review video from police vehicles and are asking the public and the media for any video footage they have.

While not everyone involved in the riot was a gang member, those who were gang members came from all over the city, authorities said. Various gang colors were seen on the streets.

Many were juveniles and young adults interested in taking a leadership role in the gangs. Some of the instigators were gang members, the deputy chief said.

Police received information that gangs from outside the city, including Detroit, would be in Toledo the day of the rally. They said they can't verify if gang members from other cities attended.

Police said they plan to develop intelligence and information on those gang members arrested. The department has a database of gang members.

City leaders said Toledo, like all urban cities, has some gang activity. The city has about 1,000 gang members and three larger gangs, police Chief Mike Navarre said.

Two gangs mentioned by the neo-Nazi group in North Toledo were Stickney 33 and the Dexter Boyz.

Chief Navarre said Stickney 33, a sect of the Bloods, has about 100 members in the Woodward High area. The Dexter Boyz, which has a Web site, is a gang in Detroit, but Toledo police do not know of members in the north end, he said.

"In the early to mid '90s, there was open warfare - gang versus gang. Witnesses for trials were being executed," Chief Navarre said. "There's been improvement, but we're not without our problems."

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