Supremacists, black activists to converge
Sharpton, others aim to counter Miss. organization's march

Richard Barrett, an attorney and spokesman for a group planning a "Jena Justice Day" rally and parade today, says members of the Learned, Miss.-based Nationalist Movement will not be armed and is requesting that supporters do likewise.

The Nationalist Movement, which describes itself as "pro-majority" but is widely reported to be a white supremacy organization, called for the rally to express its disdain for the celebration of slain civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and of six black Jena teenagers charged with beating a white classmate.

It vowed to come to Jena soon after at least 20,000 marched through the streets of the small community on Sept. 20 in support of the black teens, who became known as the "Jena Six."

Barrett had said earlier that members would be armed, in response to town officials questioning a court order that he said clearly points out that a ban on firearms is unconstitutional and unenforceable.

Although earlier releases from the group encouraged people to bring nooses along with other signs of support, Barrett said they now are asking that they be left at home.

"The aim of the 'No to Jena Six, No to MLK' parade and rally is empowerment and should come from the point of a pen and the lungs of liberty, not from the barrel of a gun," Barrett said.

The white student was beaten outside Jena High School on Dec. 4, 2006, after a series of racially charged incidents, which included white students hanging nooses from a tree at the school.

The white students were not charged in any of the incidents; the six black teens all were initially charged with attempted murder for the beating, but those charges have since been reduced to battery.

A group calling itself the Jan. 21 Committee has been calling on people nationwide to come to Jena to oppose the Nationalists' message. The group is asking its supporters to bring bells, whistles, drums, noisemakers and instruments so they can "politically drown out" the message of the Nationalists.

In addition, the New Black Panther Party will be holding a march today at the LaSalle Parish Courthouse.

On Sunday morning, the Rev. Al Sharpton gave a sermon to a crowd of about 50 at Antioch Baptist Church, calling on people to celebrate King's legacy today.

Afterward, Sharpton said King was about implementing social justice for everyone and that he and others are continuing King's fight today in Jena.

Many in Jena have spoken out against both those coming in support of the Nationalists and against them. Town officials made it clear in a statement issued last week that the group wasn't wanted.

Supremacists, black activists to converge | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger

White Supremacist Protest in Jena, La.


By MARY FOSTER – 16 hours ago

JENA, La. (AP) — A crowd mostly made up of members of the media listened as four white separatists demanded white rights, severe prosecution of six black teens accused of beating a white school mate and an end to the Martin Luther King holiday.

But the speeches didn't last long.

The "Jena Justice Day" planned Monday by the white supremacist Nationalist Movement ended about two hours earlier than organizers had planned, with most participants leaving long before that.

Still, Richard Barrett, a Nationalist spokesman, declared the day a success. He noted the group was successful earlier in having set aside the city's demand that it put up $10,000 to hold its rally and that it had collected about a dozen signatures to end the city's newly established interracial committee.

"We backed down the mayor, backed the committee down," he said. "So the chances are good we'll back the Jena Six down and Martin Luther King Day down as well."

The group opposes support of the so-called Jena Six — the six black teens whose case in September sparked one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in recent years — and a holiday for King, the slain civil rights leader.

About 50 white supremacists showed up Monday, with 27 marching to the high school and back before the speeches began.

About 100 counter-demonstrators turned out briefly to wave signs and shout slogans before marching away.

Chants of "No KKK!" from the mostly college-aged counter-demonstrators were met with a chant from the separatists that contained a racial epithet.

Several demonstrators reportedly showed up with guns. But there was just one arrest reported during the day — that of a man authorities identified as William Winchester Jr. of New Orleans and a member of the New Black Panthers.

The arrest came after dozens of state police, at one point, forced back 10 people, dressed in New Black Panther uniforms who had gathered around a podium where Barrett was to speak. The man identified as Winchester broke away from that group and was booked with battery of a police officer and resisting arrest. Members of the New Black Panthers at the scene declined to comment.

Nearly all the demonstrators and the counter-demonstrators appeared to be from outside of Jena.

John N. Hill, Jr., 58, of Monroe, La., said he felt compelled to come denounce the white separatists.

"Nobody fears these people anymore," said Hill, who is black. "If you confront evil you can stop it. If you don't confront it, it grows like weeds."

Race relations in Jena, with a population of about 2,800, have been in the news since the arrest of the black students accused of beating the white teen in December 2006.

About 20,000 people peacefully marched in support of the Jena Six in September.

Five of the black teens were charged with attempted murder, leading to accusations that they were being prosecuted harshly because of their race. Charges have since been reduced.

"I think people here are tired of all of this," said LaSalle Parish sheriff-elect Scott Franklin. "And it's a shame for this to happen on this day especially. But hopefully this will be the end of it. Both sides have had their say now."


The Associated Press: White Supremacist Protest in Jena, La.