Freedom Flyer Fall 2000 Cover

Freedom Flyer 34

the official newsletter of the
Freedom Party of Ontario

Fall 2000



In the article below, police accuse members of the Northern Alliance of being 'urban terrorists'. So far, none of the police allegations have been supported by any evidence. The last two paragraphs in the article have nothing to do with the Northern Alliance, though their inclusion in the article is highly suspect.

Article electronically reproduced from:

The London Free Press

December 3, 1999


Cops fear racism may ignite

By Hank Daniszewski
and Brodie Fenlon
Free Press Reporters

London police are keeping an eye on a right-wing extremist group called Northern Alliance operating in the city, a group described by an investigator as "urban terrorists."

Its members organized a "straight pride" protest at London's annual Gay Pride march this summer, Det. Supt. Dave Lucio said.

Northern Alliance is a small group of white men, most in their 20s and 30s, Lucio said. He wouldn't disclose the exact number of members.

Lucio said the group meets regularly, recruits members and is potentially violent toward members of minority groups it has targeted.

"If you're someone that they hate, I would suggest that they are a significant threat to you," he said. "These people are basically urban terrorists."

Although Northern Alliance as a group has never been charged with an offence, individual members have been charged with assault and other violent crimes, Lucio said.

The group is also associated with a network of right-wing groups across the continent, including the Heritage Front, the Ku Klux Klan and the World Church Of The Creator, he said.

On Nov. 1, London police sent individual letters to seven members of the group, directing them to attend a Nov. 21 meeting at the police station.

The letter said police had a responsibility to "inform and educate" the public about Northern Alliance's activities, but were giving the group a chance to express its views.

No one showed up for the meeting, Lucio said.

Police then made a confidential presentation and showed a videotape to London's race relations committee depicting the activities of Northern Alliance.

Contacted yesterday, committee chairperson Harold Usher refused to comment, saying he knew nothing about the group or its existence.

Lucio said police couldn't afford to ignore the group's existence any longer.

"You make them aware that you know who they are and then you make the people whom their hate is directed at aware so they can act appropriately," said Lucio.

A news release published yesterday on a Web site maintained by the Toronto-based Canadian Association of Free Expression Inc. blasted London police for "behaving like a political police force."

The association's director, Paul Fromm, a well-known right-wing activist, called the letter police sent to Northern Alliance members an "outrageous" attack on free speech and said "Heads should roll."

Raphael Bergmann, a London construction worker, is also quoted in the news release, boasting about the publicity generated by the "straight pride" march.

Lucio angrily denies police action was political. "This has nothing to do with politics. This has to do with curbing violence in our community."

Fromm did not return calls yesterday and Bergmann could not be reached.

Meanwhlle, Oxford OPP are investigating reports an individual in the Thamesford area is affiliated with World Church of the Creator and has placed two ads in a Woodstock newspaper for a "Racial Loyalist's Clubhouse."

Oxford OPP Const. Shawn Kivell said the information has been sent to the OPP's hate crimes branch in Orillia.




Contact FP
Freedom Flyer Newsletter

e-mail

Page last updated on April 28, 2002

FP logo (small)