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Why skinheads target immigrants

Arthur J Pais

Though skinheads operate across North America, officials believe they are more active on the West Coast.

The California Department of Justice estimates there could be as many as 5,000 white gang members in California. Skinheads are just one of these many gangs, including the America First gangs. There could be more than 5,000 white supremacists in British Columbia targeting immigrants from India, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Trinidad.

These immigrants constitute about 20 per cent of British Columbia's population. Though skinheads denounce leftists and liberals, they target immigrants mostly, arguing that immigrants are not only taking the jobs from the whites but are also hurting the white culture. "Our race is our religion," is the motto of one skinhead group operating from Illinois.

The skinheads, with approximately 400 members, remain the most violent of the white gangs. Although small in numbers when compared to other criminal street gangs, their potential for violence is significant.

Skinheads remain racially motivated instead of being territorial or inspired to commit crimes for profit.

They are still loose-knit and unorganized, but there is some evidence that a few of the gangs have developed an internal gang structure. Some have printed and distributed membership applications, collected dues, established rules and regulations, and conducted meetings with formal minutes.

The application for the American Front Skinhead gang implies that if a member betrays the organization, the punishment is "death by crucifixion." Some of the gangs have established phone hot lines, post office boxes, and their own publications intended to recruit new members.

There are scores of Internet sites where the skinheads from more than a dozen countries openly declare their belief in white supremacy.

One such site discusses how the skinhead movement began in England in the late '60s. It had become a fashion there among some groups of young factory workers to shave their heads, because they had to keep their hair cut short anyway in order to avoid getting it caught in the machinery, the site informs.

"As racial, social, and economic conditions in Britain deteriorated, these young, White Factory workers were among the hardest hit. Specifically, because of an open door (read whore) immigration policy on behalf of Britain, all these non-whites from third world countries came pouring into the island.

These white youths rebelled and "reacted" to the problems by going around beating up any and ALL non-whites, especially the immigrants who were taking their jobs," it adds.

According to the California Department of Justice, the typical skinhead gang in the 1990s varies in size from five to 20 members, and the age ranges from the early teens to the mid-20s. They continue to shave their heads, but some now have short hair or have grown their hair long to disguise their gang membership.

They still have racist-related tattoos, including WSU and AYM -- for White Students Union and Aryan Youth Movement. Their graffiti continues to incorporate the use of swastikas and slogans to profess Nazism. Their weapons now include handguns, rifles, and automatic weapons.

Female gang members are becoming increasingly involved in skinhead-related hate crimes. They have joined in the gang attacks on targeted victims by male gang members. Skinheads continue to travel throughout the country, associate with other skinhead gangs, and commit or encourage hate crimes of racial violence, including assaults, drive-by shootings, and murders.

Previous story: Five Skinheads Enter Plea Bargain In Gurdwara Murder

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