The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s task force on terrorism, the New Jersey State Police, and the North Bergen Police Department were closely monitoring last week a potentially dangerous rally in North Bergen that was slated for Saturday, Sept. 6 and had not yet taken place as of press time. The rally was meant to protest a controversial radio host who lives in North Bergen and who is planning his own protest against an immigration demonstration in Jersey City in October.
North Bergen Police Chief Angelo Busacco confirmed that the police department is aware of the potentially volatile protest in North Bergen and have been cooperating with state and federal law enforcement agencies to insure the safety of the town.
“We’re taking every precaution,” Busacco said. “We’re handling this as a potentially dangerous situation and we’re monitoring it very closely. We’re still receiving intelligence about the matter, but we’re working with the federal authorities.”
The reason for the concern stems from controversial radio talk show host Hal Turner, a North Bergen resident, whose shortwave radio show and website posts stories against African-Americans, Jews, homosexuals, and other groups.
A few weeks ago, Turner boldly stated on his weekly show, then posted an item on his website, that he was going to organize a rally to stop the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, a nine-city tour that will feature immigrant workers who feel they deserve the right to become citizens, to reunify their families and have full protection of civil rights and liberties.
The Freedom Ride is expected to head through the country from Sept. 20 through October 3, with the final stop being Liberty State Park in Jersey City.
Turner, whose avid followers include white supremacy groups, has vowed to block that rally.
“You have a bunch of illegal aliens boarding buses to demand amnesty, with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop,” Turner said. “I say we should lock them all up and send them back to the cesspools where they came from. People don’t want them here.”
So Turner called upon his followers to disrupt the Freedom Ride October 3 with signs, banners, bullhorns and American flags.
That’s where the New Brunswick-based organization One People’s Project comes in.
According to the group’s spokesman, Daryle Lamont Jenkins, One People’s Project defends a lot of causes when it comes to racial and social inequality.
“We just want to bring attention to what this man is doing,” Jenkins said about Turner. “We want to bring attention what he’s doing in North Bergen and in the area. The man is promoting racism and hatred. I catch him on his shortwave radio and on his website and he keeps promoting it more and more.”
Jenkins and Turner have a history of going at each other.
Turner said Jenkins “is obsessed with me,” and called Jenkins “a militant Negro.”
“He’s been obsessed with me and what I do ever since I ran for Congress [against Rep. Robert Menendez] in 1999,” Turner said. “He monitors the radio show and the website and then posts things on his website. When he heard that I was going after the illegal aliens, he decided to organize a special protest against me.”
Jenkins, via his website, www.onepeoplesproject.com, has encouraged his followers to join a protest in front of Turner’s home on Paterson Plank Road, scheduled for Saturday at noon.
In response, Turner then has posted a message on his website, www.halturnershow.com: “Help Hal Protect His Home This Saturday. Savage Negro Beasts, mongrel Mestizos, hook-nosed Jews and other vermin plan to protest The Hal Turner Show in front of Hal’s home. They will be protesting my protest of the illegal aliens. …Further, since this is my private property, I do hereby authorize my supporters to bring handguns, rifles and shotguns as well as mace and other chemical spray. Naturally, I urge you to bring plenty of ammunition. If you can come, please let me know in advance so I can plan on proper deployment of weaponry in tactical assault positions on balconies, atop retaining walls and on the roof. Those with sniper rifles and scopes can take up position farther away thanks to pre-arranged permission from local property owner friends.”
‘They’re going to get sent home in a box’
Turner said last week, “I’ve granted permission to my supporters to come here with weapons. We have the right to bear firearms and we have to defend ourselves. If they want to try anything in front of my house, then they’re going to get sent home in a box. Every time these people go to a protest, fights break out and property gets damaged.”
Jenkins vows that there will be no violence.
“Turner offers the same rhetoric all the time,” Jenkins said. “He’s said this before. He knows that you can’t bring weapons like that to a rally. Turner talks trash a lot. I don’t expect a lot from it. We’re not going to do anything except call attention to the stunt he’s trying to pull in October.”
Jenkins was asked if Turner’s threat of weaponry was enough to dissuade him from holding the protest.
“I’m too busy laughing to be dissuaded,” Jenkins said. “Our group is having a field day with his stupid comments. Of course, we’re prepared if things get heated, but I can assure you we will keep our heads.”
Turner doesn’t know what to expect.
“I think there will be a protest,” Turner said. “They better be on their best behavior.”
Turner also wanted it corrected that he is not a hate monger.
“I don’t hate anyone,” he said. “I just tell the truth.”
Still, the North Bergen police are keeping a close eye on what could become a serious incident.
“We have to treat this as very serious,” Busacco said. “We’re going to take every precaution. It’s a potentially dangerous situation.”