Hate Crime Coverup?: Tinley Park IL Restaurant Attack

[The Free Hornet]

About 12:45 p.m. Saturday, a masked and hooded mob stormed the crowded dining room and attacked a group of about a dozen people who had claimed to be from an Irish heritage association [.

In fact, authorities said, the victims included people with links to white supremacist organizations, and their attackers, allegedly part of a radical anti-racist organization, had come from Bloomington, Ind., to join the NATO demonstrations.

"We're just a simple family restaurant," Winston said. "I've never heard of any of these groups."

Five of the alleged attackers were in police custody Sunday, though none had been charged.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,3775895.story

Another source:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local...152263235.html

Local news cares more about the NATO protests than this crime. The attack presumably came from "Anti-Racist Action". People and property were attacked with bats and hammers (lethal weapons).

I have no "spin" on the story (yet), but thought to put it on the radar here to watch. Sorry if already posted (delete, move, merge).

There is a group taking responsibility for attacking a "Summit" of 12-20 dining patrons.

5th Annual White Nationalist Economic Summit Smashed; Several Hospitalized
Submitted by admin on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 20:29

In response to Mob Attacked Specific Group of People Inside Tinley Park Restaurant

On Saturday, May 19th a group of 30 anti-fascists descended upon Ashford House restaurant in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park where the 5th annual White Nationalist Economic Summit and Illinois White Nationalist Meet-and-Greet was taking place. The White Nationalists were targeted inside the restaurant and physically attacked, causing several injuries and completely shutting down their meeting. The anti-fascist group was privy to anonymous inside information. This fascist event had been in secret planning for six months. The attendees have attempted to cover up the true intent of the event with mainstream media reports initially reporting the white nationalist conference as a wedding party and then as an Irish heritage meeting. The event was advertised on www.stormfront.org, an established white nationalist fascist internet forum.


Anti-fascists oppose any organizing by racists and fascist in their communities. Fascist and white nationalist organizing has resulted in a number of horrifying incidents, from the recent J.T. Ready shootings in Arizona to the Benjamin Nathaniel Smith shooting in the West Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago, as just two examples.


These anti-fascists are committed to shutting down and attacking any racist, nationalist, or fascist organizers or individuals that they encounter


-----

This white nationalist event was organized and attended by:

http://antiracistaction.org/

[brushfire]

That's the problem with hate crime laws.... So if this was about race, it should also qualify as a hate crime.

What a fiasco... I know folks in Tinley. Its in the same county as chicago (cook).
Down the street was a mass shooting at the Lane Bryant.
A few years back there was a corpse found in a retention pond near the value city.
Another incident about 10 months back where 2 men beat the sh!t out of a store owner at his home, while robbing him...
Typical "white" suburbia... Right? Maybe residents should contact their US Representative, Bobby Rush?

0:50



By the way - Bobby Rush happens to be the product of Chicago gerrymandering...

[specsaregood]

These anti-fascists are committed to shutting down and attacking any racist, nationalist, or fascist organizers or individuals that they encounter

That right there is funny. "anti"-fascists attack a voluntary association of "fascists" deciding they can't use their freewill to gather.

[The Free Hornet]

This is another article (copied so as to document the allegations and wording - not to prevent click through traffic):

Source: Group beaten at Tinley Park restaurant were white supremacists

BY JANET LUNDQUIST AND NATASHA KORECKI Sun-Times Media May 20, 2012 7:07PM

Reprints

Story Image

Police investigate the scene at The Ashford House Restaurant, 7959 W. 159th Street, in Tinley Park, where a group of people entered and started assaulting patrons Saturday. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Story Image

Updated: May 21, 2012 3:06PM


A law enforcement source Sunday said the group beaten at a Tinley Park restaurant Saturday was made up of white supremacists, and those who assaulted them were protesters attacking their beliefs.

Police had five people in custody after the attack, which occurred at The Ashford House, 7959 W. 159th St. around noon. No charges had been filed yet, and the suspects did not appear in bond court Sunday.

Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki on Sunday said police do not know if the protesters had any connection to the NATO Summit in downtown Chicago.

He said police still have 35 to 40 people to interview, and charges could come Monday.

“The guys we have in the lockup are still not talking, at least not this morning,” Zabrocki said.

Mike Winston, who owns the restaurant, is facing $10,000 to $15,000 in damage to his business, as well as a loss of revenue as customers keep their distance.

A party of 60 people for a banquet cancelled Sunday morning, he said.

“I’m down about 80 tables this morning. People think we’re closed,” he said.

Undaunted by the violence of Saturday afternoon, his staff all showed up for work Sunday morning.

“I was very proud of them,” Winston said. “Everybody got here at five this morning, we cleaned up everything we could.”

Winston lashed out at both groups over the chaos that disrupted his weekend business.

“I have no f-ing idea who the hell these people are,” Winston said. “When they made this reservation, they were some Irish heritage whatever. We get reservations every day for parties of 20, 30, 40 — we don’t ask what their political affiliation is.”

Winston, who chased one of the attackers out of the restaurant and was attacked himself behind the building, said he hasn’t been accused of being on one side or the other.

“Bottom line is, I don’t know anything about why they came here,” Winston said. “Both groups are a bunch of a------s if you ask me.”

Winston said he was working in the kitchen the restaurant during the lunch rush when a waitress screamed that a fight had broken out in the dining room.

Tinley Park police said in a press release that approximately 15 people dressed in black walked into the restaurant about 12:45 p.m. Saturday and started a fight with a group of people eating there.

Ten people were injured, three were taken to the hospital.

When police arrived, the attackers fled in three vehicles. Police stopped one vehicle near 159th Street and Harlem Avenue. Five men, all white, were arrested.

Winston said the mob was wielding metal batons and hammers, wearing hooded jackets and obscuring their faces with scarves and other coverings.

“They came running in the door single file,” Winston said.

The attack wasn’t a random act of violence, police said. But the attack apparently spilled over to others in the restaurant.

“Once they attacked the table, they went and started hitting random people,” Winston said. “Four or five people got knocked over the head pretty good, enough to require stitches,” he said.

He chased after one of the attackers “and had him on the ground, then five guys got out of a car and started kicking the (crap) out of me,” Winston said.

Winston said he was kicked in the back of the head and suffered several bruises, but he was the only restaurant employee who was hurt.

“They did a whole lot of damage,” he said. “They flipped over tables, they broke half the dishes.”

Surveillance cameras inside the restaurant captured the attack and footage was turned over to Tinley Park police, Winston said.

Winston said that during the attack most of the men’s face coverings were torn off.

“Most of these kids were white, and they all looked like they were between 18 and 25,” he said.

“This stuff doesn’t happen in Tinley Park. We don’t have racism or white supremacy in Tinley Park,” he said. “I wish they had just stayed where they were.”

In a news release, police tried to assure residents the attack was “an isolated incident” and that “there is no immediate threat to the community.”

Tinley police said they were being assisted in the investigation by the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force.

Contributing: Mike Nolan
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© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.

Can anyone confirm or contradict the point in bold, that these were "white supremecists"? The attackers were mostly white. What gets my goat is that one group was obeying the law acting peacefully and has not come out publicly as "white supremescists" - that I know of. On the other hand, the hate group which attacked them is bragging about it on their website. Does this inside police source call the NAACP a "black supremacy" group?

Aside from sympathy, is there any reason to patronize a restaurant owner that called a group of customers $#@!s for no apparent reason? Maybe if the food is good.

[The Free Hornet]

Not to annoy, but the evidence STRONGLY suggests that you don't need to be a white supremecist to get on their radar. There are rumblings of them being anti-Ron Paul, but I haven't seen the strong evidence of that (yet - it is tough when their website has crashed...).

Waybackmachine Archive:

About

Anti-Racist Action (ARA) is an international network of people from all walks of life who are dedicated to fighting fascism, eliminating racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination and hierarchy from their communities. ARA got its start in Minneapolis in 1988; since then, we've expanded into dozens of communities in five countries and three continents, making us one of the world's largest and most extensive anti-racist movements.
What we do.

Some things we have been known for doing include, but are not limited to; exposing fascists and racists in their communities and workplace, shutting down their meetings, conferences, rallies and speeches, confronting them individually at shows or on the streets, educating the public on what fascism is and how to identify their local enemies, lending support to victims of oppression and defending clinics from insane pro-lifers, and acting in solidarity with others who struggle against oppression. We are often the go to group when things get heavy.

Read more about our history.
We are not a political party.

We do not have a platform. Any group wishing to use our name must only agree on the ARA Network's four Points Of Unity, but can decide on what actions they will take in their communities.

ARA has become a respected organization and we are recognized for our independence and willingness to confront Fascism and racism directly. We are organizations that aren't afraid to mix it up, and for this we are hated by some, loved by others, and feared by the fascists.
Fascism and why we oppose it.

Fascism is a grass roots and self proclaimed anti-capitalist movement or "political behavior" based on racial/religious superiority that abandons liberty and pursues with violence a quest for internal purity and expansion. It has many tendencies and forms. Sometimes they are as forward as the National Socialist groups, others more disguised in trickery such as National Anarchism/Tribalism.

We seek a classless free society. Our objective is to live in a present where we are not dominated by oppression and apparatus of control. This is in direct opposition to Fascism, amongst other political ideologies. We as a group oppose fascism based on our objective, and as individuals through the lived reality of our personal experiences. Many of us in ARA view ourselves as part of the wider social antagonist movement, that is a very broad and diverse movement for liberation that has global connections.
On the question of freedom of speech?

We believe freedom of speech is a concept that often denotes peoples ability to act. We don't believe that freedom of speech should be a concept used to allow fascism a platform for organizing. You can speak racial supremacy or genocides and pogroms all you want, but don't be surprised when your events are shut down by those who wish not to live in a genocidal racially supremacist world. It's common sense.
On the question of masks?

Self-Defense is a integral to the work that we do. Fascists and governments like to take pictures of anti-racists so that they'll be able to identify and attack them later on. Certainly we have many databases of Fascists, we seek to limit the size of their database on Anti-Racists. Sometimes some folks choose to wear masks so that they don't have to worry about racists hurting them or people close to them.

The Points of Unity:

Also from the waybackmachine:

Points of Unity

The Anti-Racist Action Network consists of people from all different backgrounds, with a lot of different viewpoints. With countless ARA chapters out there, it's not surprising that no two are alike! What we all agree on, however, is the following:

1 We go where they go. Whenever fascists are organizing or active in public, we're there. We don't believe in ignoring them or staying away from them. Never let the Nazis have the street!

2 We don't rely on the cops or courts to do our work for us. This doesn't mean we never go to court, but the cops uphold white supremacy and the status quo. They attack us and everyone who resists oppression. We must rely on ourselves to protect ourselves and stop the fascists.

3 Non-sectarian defense of other anti-fascists. In ARA, we have a lot of different groups and individuals. We don't agree about everything and we have a right to differ openly. But in this movement an attack on one is an attack on us all. We stand behind each other.

4 We support abortion rights and reproductive freedom. ARA intends to do the hard work necessary to build a broad, strong movement against racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest, and the most oppressed people. We want a classless, free society. We intend to win!

[specsaregood]

TFH, are you a stormfront member? Not judging, just asking.

[angelatc]

Aside from sympathy, is there any reason to patronize a restaurant owner that called a group of customers $#@!s for no apparent reason? Maybe if the food is good.

I happen to agree with the restaurant owner's statement. He nailed it.

[brushfire]

There are rumblings of them being anti-Ron Paul, but I haven't seen the strong evidence of that (yet - it is tough when their website has crashed...).

On that note: I've spotted Ron Paul 2012 signs on intersection light posts (Harlem and 183rd street) - a few miles from the incident. Whoever did that - you rock.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=tinley...inois&t=h&z=17

[pcosmar]

They sound like a bunch of Brownshirts..

[Lafayette]

Hate crime laws are stupid, murder is murder and assault is assault regardless of the skin color of the attacker,victim.

There are rumblings of them being anti-Ron Paul

If this group tried something against a Ron Paul meet up or gathering, they better pray its not it a right to carry state.

[kuckfeynes]

5 attackers charged... AND two victims. One for simply not letting the government to take away his ability to protect himself in case of just such an incident.

Two members of the attacked group were charged with unrelated offenses, Tinley Park police said. Steven Eugene Speers, 33, of Grand Forks, N.D., was arrested on a Texas warrant for possession of child pornography. Francis John Gilroy, 65, of West Palm Beach, Fla., was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/05/...sed-of-crimes/

[The Free Hornet]

I happen to agree with the restaurant owner's statement. He nailed it.

But where is the evidence? The attackers admit what they are and what they do and have the website to prove it. Fair enough! I was unable to find the name of the other group (groups? it was called a "Summit") or what their positions are.

So, what are you agreeing with? Who were the people that got attacked? The only thing I found regarding "European Heritage Group" is a denial of the supremecist accusation:

Beckie Williams was among the victims Saturday. Williams, who said she lives near the Quad Cities, said her group is called the European Heritage Group and they are not white supremacists.

http://www.datehookup.com/Thread-931178.htm

Again, what is the evidence or is the word of a group openly hostile to free discussion sufficient for you, Angelatc?

TFH, are you a stormfront member? Not judging, just asking.

Nope, not my cup of tea, in fact, I had to Google them and am begining to believe that the Blues Brothers had a point regarding "Illinois Nazis".

[Krzysztof Lesiak]

The sad this among the state of our country is that acts of violence or other forms of aggression direct at a specific ethnic group of people are only "hate crimes" when perpetrated against minorities. But, when whites are attacked because of the color of their skin, it is then promptly dismissed and the lamestream media even tries to make excuses for the attackers.

It's time to stand up to this politically correct bull$#@!.

[pcosmar]

They sound like a bunch of Brownshirts..

A bit of looking,,following the trail of breadcrumbs,

Skinheads and socialists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Action

Methinks someone is stirring the pot.
These are nothing but a bunch of violent, ignorant punks..

Someone else plans and directs. These are just shock troops with no mental abilities of their own.

[The Free Hornet]

Update:
5 charged in Tinley Park restaurant attack
Tinley Park Restaurant Mob Attack: 7 Men Face Criminal Charges In Targeted Beating

It is being taken seriously:

Police have charged five men with aggravated battery, mob action and criminal damage to property in the attack at the Ashford House restaurant in Tinley Park, Ill.: Jason W. Sutherlin, 33, of Gosport, Ind., Cody Lee Edward Sutherlin, 23, of Bloomington, Ind., Dylan James Sutherlin, 20, of Bloomington, Ind., Alex R. Stuck, 22, of Bloomington, Ind., and James S. Tucker, 26, of Spencer, Ind., according to Fox Chicago.

Bail was set Monday for the five men and ranged from $175,000 and $250,000.

( Tinley Park Police photos / May 21, 2012 ) Top row: Cody Sutherlin, Jason Sutherlin and Dylan Sutherlin. Bottom row: Alex Robert Stuck and John Steve Tucker have been charged in connection with a mob attack at the Ashford House Restaurant Saturday in Tinley Park. Police are still seeking about a dozen people who attacked what they believed to be a gathering of white supremacists.

From the restaurant owner:

Ashford House owner Mike Winston said he would not release the video of the attack and blamed both groups for the altercation.

What a dick.

More from one of the targets of the attack:

But one victim, Beckie Williams, told the Tribune the group isn't racist, calling the accusation "ridiculous." She said they were meeting in person from across the country for the first time, having met on the Internet discussing economic hardships.

The local mayor is making statements which have not yet been substantiated:

Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki described both groups -- the attackers and victims -- as "extreme" to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"It’s extreme stances — the anti-racism group is against racism, against anti-semitism, against homophobia, where the other group is for white people only," Zabrocki told the Sun-Times.

Stereotypes abound in this article: shaved heads and hooded sweatshirts... (again?)

The mayor said he believed the victims had ties to white supremacist groups, but he could not confirm their affiliation.

...

'Walloped'
Michael Winston, owner of the Ashford House, said the group that was attacked had made a reservation for up to 20, saying they were from an Irish heritage association.

"We had no idea who these people were," Winston said. "We don’t ask for people’s political stuff when they come in the door. Did they look like white supremacists? One or two did, but just because they have a shaved head doesn’t mean they’re a skinhead, right? I know a lot of good-looking guys who have their heads shaved and they aren’t skinheads or white supremacists. And the group that stormed in, it was too fast and too late. It took us by surprise.

“The other group marched into the restaurant, all were in hooded sweatshirts,” Winston told msnbc.com. “Each had a chair leg, baton or a bat. They came in and went straight to a table of white guys and whoever stood up or got in the way, they got walloped.”

He said business inside Ashford House has taken a blow from the weekend violence.

"It was a ghost town in here on Sunday,” Winston said. He said customers have been afraid to come in and others have canceled their reservations. He said a few loyal patrons have stopped by to see if everything was OK.

Who wants to eat where the patrons are blamed for an uninstigated attacked? Why would a mayor make accusations about private individuals that could sue him?

[The Free Hornet]

Here is the most complete statement I have found from a victim:

From the Sun Times

Beckie Williams was among the victims Saturday. Williams, who said she lives near the Quad Cities, said her group is called the European Heritage Group and they are not white supremacists.

“Where all this horrible, ugly, white supremacist stuff is coming from is beyond me,” she said. “I can’t wrap my head around it. I never thought celebrating your heritage was supremacy or racist.”

Williams said Saturday was the first meeting of the group, and that she chose Tinley Park because it was a central location. She said she chose May 19 for the meeting date because it is the anniversary of her mother’s death.

According to a May 3 post on whitenewsnow.com, someone with Williams’ email wrote that the “May Meet for White Nationalists and Families” would be on May 19 and 20 and that the purpose would be “economic networking,” “Work for Whites,” “Family Assistence (sic)” and “Real Time Activism.”

Williams on Sunday, though, claimed her e-mail has been hacked, and someone has been posing as her on the Internet.

Williams said she was injured in the brawl, but not badly enough to require medical attention. Calling the attackers “terrorists,” she said she is cooperating fully with police and that she plans to file her own lawsuit.

It creates an interesting argument: If they were attacked for being pro-white or white supremecists and they are in fact, white, then how can it not be a hate crime? More so, whether or not the victims were supremecists, so long as the attackers thought that they were, it should be sufficient for a hate crime.

For the record, I agree hate-crime laws are stupid and a poor solution to the civil rights abuses perpetrated largely by or through the public sector (AKA government).

[pcosmar]

So,, now we got white people attacking white people because they like white people.



This world is $#@!ed up.

[kuckfeynes]

It's absolutely a hate crime. Though LOL @ computer being hacked. I understand not wanting to make yourself a further target, but that's a pretty weak excuse. Wish she'd just come out and own up to what she wrote so we can have a real debate about this stuff, instead of making it look like the result of a malicious actor. Around here there are still plenty of whites-only clubs, the Polish club, the Bavarian club, etc. They've existed for generations, and no one calls them racist, though I'm sure they talk about the same things sometimes.

[pcosmar]

Hate Crime????
I don't really know of any love crimes..

I have known (and argued with) Supremacists, and I have known some separatists,, And Nationalists seem to come in every shade.

And these stupid violent $#@!s seem to have been kicked out of every type of socialist and anarchist group for being stupid violent $#@!s.

someone is pushing for a story

[kuckfeynes]

Well, hate crimes as our modern confused society chooses to define them. Not defending the concept, just saying if the law is to be applied fairly across the board...

[pcosmar]

Well, hate crimes as our modern confused society chooses to define them. Not defending the concept, just saying if the law is to be applied fairly across the board...

Ah,,

Perhaps better to dump that charge.
Charge them with Violation of Civil Rights and Assault.

Those are actual crimes.

[Brian4Liberty]

Pretty simple case. Trespassing, vandalism, assault, battery, attempted murder.

The concept of "Hate Crime" is ridiculous, as it attempts to codify the mindset of the attacker. That's creating thought crime. What was going on in the minds of these idiots is not terribly important, it's the actions that are criminal. A group could attack another group based on supporting a sports team, it happens all the time.

[angelatc]

So,, now we got white people attacking white people because they like white people.



This world is $#@!ed up.

If you file it under "Liberals Simply Hate People" it all makes sense again.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

People... Please use some common sense and do not link to websites that could reflect poorly upon this group. Thanks.

[The Free Hornet]

The sad this among the state of our country is that acts of violence or other forms of aggression direct at a specific ethnic group of people are only "hate crimes" when perpetrated against minorities. But, when whites are attacked because of the color of their skin, it is then promptly dismissed and the lamestream media even tries to make excuses for the attackers.

It's time to stand up to this politically correct bull$#@!.

It would appear color-blind America is alive and well for this trial. Here are some case follow-ups.

Most interesting is the pro-bono lawyering:

Attorney Stuart Smith said he accepted Tucker’s case without pay because he sympathizes with Anti-Racist Action (ARA), a network of militant left-wing groups which took credit for the Ashford House attack. Aaron Goldstein, who is representing Jason Sutherlin told Patch earlier this month that taking the case pro bono was "just the right thing to do."

Two people are representing Alex Stuck but neither revealed to Patch whether they were collecting payment. However, one in the duo, defense attorney Larry Jackowiak, reportedly told the Tribune that the decision to take the case was an easy one because he believes in fighting racism.

These attorneys have not been shy about their sympathy for the anti-racist cause.

http://tinleypark.patch.com/articles...cases-for-free

As suspected, none of the charges appear to involve Illinois hate/thought crime legislation:

After appearing before three different judges in Cook County Court Thursday, five Indiana men each pleaded not guilty to 37 counts related to mob action, armed violence, aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.

http://tinleypark.patch.com/articles...-total-charges

However, it does not appear that they have made bail and a request to reduce the amounts has been denied:

Judge: $975,000 Bail for Ashford House 5 is 'Proper'

[erowe1]

..

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

Another source:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local...152263235.html

Local news cares more about the NATO protests than this crime. The attack presumably came from "Anti-Racist Action". People and property were attacked with bats and hammers (lethal weapons).

I have no "spin" on the story (yet), but thought to put it on the radar here to watch. Sorry if already posted (delete, move, merge).

There is a group taking responsibility for attacking a "Summit" of 12-20 dining patrons.

I disregard the notion of a “hate” crime;
But curiosity is me—so, I allotted it some time;
And…it is beyond my realm of comprehension—
That the left wields it as scepter of condescension!

One eye must be on fed—when analyzing FBI crime stats,
That’s cynical—but you know fed is staffed by dimocrats.
Consider: Hispanics = White in the FBI’s presentation;
Offenders: 58.6% white + 18.4% black = white condemnation!

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011...ecrimes_111411
http://www.census.gov/popest/data/na...2011/index.htm

[amy31416]

I don't know nuthin' about nuthin', but it sounds like an attack on people of Irish heritage who got together to discuss how $#@!ty the economy is?

If that's the case, I better be wary at my next family reunion.

[Revolution9]

They sound like a bunch of Brownshirts..

SPLC paid hoodlums was my first guess. They like to tag folks with White Supremacist BS.

Rev9

[Revolution9]

It is suspicious when he says, "From the grapevine, they may have been young Jewish males (like early 20s)."

The lawyers certainly sound Jewish and this has SPLC styled fingerprints all over it and fits their agenda.

Rev9