Police brace for WCOTC meeting

Telephone alert being sent tonight

By KEVIN COONEY

WAKEFIELD — After a week of cautioning downtown businesses about tomorrow's World Church of the Creator meeting at the Beebe Library, tonight selected residents near the Square will be apprised of the meeting via an automated telephone alert.

Wakefield Police Chief Stephen Doherty told the Item that regional law enforcement, state anti-terrorism advisors and his entire department will be ready for the events surrounding the lecture by Rev. Matthew Hale, leader of the WCOTC, at the library between 1-3 p.m.

While the WPD prepares, the regional mainstream anti-hate groups are spreading the word about the WCOTC and its history, as well as their potentially violent opponents.

Tonight, Doherty explained, at 7 o'clock homes for several  blocks around the Beebe will receive an automated telephone call announcing the upcoming meeting and potential disruption. The message, read via the town's community Action Network, also appears on the department's website.

"On Saturday, Sept. 14, 2002 from 1 to 3 p.m. the World Church of the Creator, a white supremacist group, will hold a meeting at the public library. This meeting may cause disruptions to pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the surrounding area.

"We suggest that area residents avoid this vicinity during the above period. Local business operators are also provided this cautionary advisory."

The department website ends the notification, "The Wakefield Police Department expects this event to be peaceful and appreciates your cooperation."

Doherty said the same message was handed out to business throughout the Square.

Doherty explained that the message was hand-delivered to merchants through the Square and some side streets near the library ahead of the meeting. Doherty's men have given business as much information as they have on the subject, leaving the ultimate decision to stay open up to the shop owners.

One shop near West Water Street posted a sign in the front window this week declaring they would be closing as of noon on Saturday for public safety reasons. Other shops in the same block, however, say they will remain open and just play it by ear.

Police have been hesitant to say what kind of protest to expect tomorrow, but a media advisory from the New England office of the Anti-Defamation League sheds some light on what could transpire. The ADL notes, "The event is also predicted to attract a group of potentially violent anti-racist extremists."

According to the ADL, "The Anti-Racist extremist groups that are expected to be at the Wakefield library tend to be young (18-25) men and women who hold far left political views on various subjects, and engage in group actions against racist groups. At past WCOTC and other racist group events, these 'Anti-Racists' have used violence against the racist group members."

The ADL goes on to say, "They are likely to congregate outside the library and seek a confrontation with the WCOTC members, which could include shouting and verbal challenges or physical attacks on the racists and their vehicles."

Ultimately Doherty cannot predict how many or who will show up tomorrow or what will happen, but he is trying to grapple with a fairly fluid situation.

While preparing for the day, calling in regional law enforcement assets and collecting intelligence on similar gatherings, Doherty admits, "This group could turn out to be 30 people and nothing happens, then we'd be grossly over prepared."

Interestingly, Doherty confirmed that a similar speech held at a Salt Lake City library last weekend produced a turnout of between 20-30 people. An event which Doherty called, "underwhelming."

However, the local chief is not taking any chances the town will be under-prepared because, as he told the Item several times, his mandate is to ensure there is no harm to people and no damage to property.

Coming to town tomorrow will be officers and equipment from the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) to assist local police in dealing with any contingency.

Also on scene, totally in an advisory role noted Doherty, will be personnel from the state's anti-terrorism task force.

As for parking in the Square, Doherty would not go as far as saying there we be an outright ban on parking, but instead there will be more spot decisions on where to restrict it as the day progress.

Local police, familiar with the community and those who live here, Doherty said, will be at critical points throughout the downtown, "where community awareness is needed."

Doherty said local law enforcement, who will be blended with outside personnel, know local people and if police know they're not local then that could mean something.

As for the Beebe itself, the focal point of the afternoon's events, Doherty said, "We're going to control the library."

Expanding on the WCOTC, the ADL notes they have a small, but active group of members in Massachusetts who've been engaged in literature submission. Twice in recent years racist literature, similar to material disseminated by WCOTC, was found on lawns around Wakefield.

Also noted by the ADL literature, WCOTC has local members who are high up in the national organization. While careful to not advocate unlawful conduct, the WCOTC 's rhetoric has inspired violence in the past, according to the ADL.

One of the conspirators who planned to blow up the Holocaust memorial in Boston and ignite a "race war," was reportedly a follower of the group.

The ADL is quick to note, "However, we know of no current plans by WCOTC or its members to engage in violent or criminal activity."

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