TOLEDO – A neo-Nazi demonstration in front of Woodward High School in north Toledo escalated into a neighborhood riot Saturday at noon. What began as a peaceful protest against a Nazi demonstration became a face-off between Toledo Police and a mixed crowd of neighborhood residents and young adult gang members.
Before 11 a.m., a crowd of roughly 200 neighbors and local activists gathered to protest where 16 members of the neo-Nazi group – the National Socialist Movement – stood in parade formation and yelled back at the crowd with the Nazi salute.
The Nazi group was scheduled to step off at noon and march the sidewalks of the neighborhood near Streicher and Mulberry streets, where they claim black gang violence is a problem. Toledo Police reportedly cancelled the march, and evacuated the Nazis from the high school campus after the crowd turned hostile, with some people in the back throwing several large wooden sticks and rocks at the Nazis.
The crowd grew larger when protesters saw the Nazis march away from the crowd. Most of the original protesters jogged a block away to where it seemed the Nazis were headed, but instead were pushed away from the high school campus by police. Dozens of residents walked out of their homes and joined the rioting crowd, screaming obscenities at police. The crowd’s makeup was varied, according to Mayor Jack Ford.
Some members of the crowd shouted “here they come,” which prompted others to throw bricks – chunks of broken cement from crumbling neighborhood sidewalks – at police.
Toledo police struck back with tear gas and rubber bullets, which appeared to inflame the situation further. The police shot tear gas at the crowd several times, which would disperse with the sound of shots, but would quickly regather to shout back at police.
At 4 p.m., Police Chief Mike Navarre announced in a press conference that at least two dozen arrests had been made at that point, but expected violence to continue this evening and Sunday.
Navarre said the police used “considerable restraint” when making arrests.
“Quite frankly we could have made a couple hundred arrests,” Navarre said.
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