For Immediate Release
Toronto… (June 20, 2001) Local citizens of Brooks, Alberta were outraged when the well-known U.S. based hate group, the National Alliance, started distributing pamphlets in this small town in Alberta. Over 30 flyers have been reported to the RCMP and a number of utility poles have been defaced with National Alliance stickers. This particular poster, one of many recently reported to have been distributed throughout Alberta, contains the headline “Too White to be Hate Crime Victims”.
According to the U.S. Anti-defamation League recent publications, the National Alliance is “the most dangerous organized hate group in America today… The National Alliance (NA) has active cells in 16 states. A number of violent acts have been traced to NA members or appear to have been inspired by the group’s propaganda. In particular, the novel The Turner Diaries, written by NA leader William Pierce under a pseudonym, is believed to have provided a blueprint for both … Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and the crimes of The Order.”
“The National Alliance is not a fringe group and their actions should not be taken lightly”, warned Steven Scheinberg, National Chair of the League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada. “They obviously believe that certain areas of Canada are fertile ground for recruitment and fund-raising. We hope that the good citizens of Brooks and other cities in Alberta will disabuse them of that notion. We must work together to proactively ensure that hate-groups will not find a foothold in this country,” he continued.
The National Office of B’nai Brith Canada was contacted shortly after the pamphleteering to supply background information on the National Alliance and on patterns of hate activity across Canada. “While hate groups try to recruit publicly through pamphleteering or giving speeches, they also use more hidden methods such as the internet,” advised Dr. Karen Mock, National Director of the League for Human Rights. “It is crucial that communities report to the police or to B’nai Brith whenever they see hate graffiti or any evidence of antisemitism or hate group activity. Using the League’s Hate Crime Hotline at 1-800-892-2624 will ensure that these hate mongers will be tracked and monitored by the authorities.”
B’nai Brith Canada
-30-
B'nai Brith has been active since 1875 as the country's senior advocacy and volunteer agency.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Karen Mock, League for Human Rights - (416) 802-1105 (cell)
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