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Eyewitness recalls violence of Tinley Park restaurant attack
Sun-Times ^ | May 26, 2012 | Steve Metch

Posted on 05/26/2012 11:52:53 AM PDT by Kaslin

A horde of masked figures stormed the restaurant in a single-file line, wielding bats, claw hammers and metal batons — their presence announced when one shouted, “‘Hey, bitches, the ARA is going to f--- up this place.’ ”

With that, the shrouded thugs went on a rampage, clubbing diners at The Ashford House restaurant on May 19 in Tinley Park. They did not discriminate as to the targets of their violence, even pushing an 80-year-old woman to the ground, according to an eyewitness who’s a former Chicago police officer.

“Although the terrorist assault lasted only about a minute, it was the longest minute of my life,” the eyewitness said.

Authorities have said the attackers were targeting a group that believes in white supremacy and calls itself the Illinois European Heritage Association. At least 10 people were hurt during the attack, with three taken to a hospital for treatment.

Five Indiana men who prosecutors say are linked to the Anti-Racist Action Group remain in the Cook County Jail, charged with felony mob action, aggravated battery and criminal damage to property. They are John Tucker, 26, of Martinsville, Ind.; Cody Sutherlin, 23, and Alex Stuck, 22, both of Bloomington, Ind.; and Dylan Sutherlin, 20, and Jason Sutherlin, 33, both of Gosport, Ind. Two victims also were arrested on charges unrelated to the attack.

The Anti-Racist Action Group (ARA) is a “radical left-wing group” that often resorts to violent acts, said Mark Potok, a senior fellow at The Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit civil rights organization based in Montgomery, Ala. The attack, he said, “did more harm to the cause of fighting racism than almost anyone can imagine.”

It was easy for the Anti-Racist Action Group to learn the other group was meeting in Tinley Park because it was advertised on two white supremacist websites, Potok said.

“It was incredibly foolish of them,” he said.

A member of the Illinois European Heritage Association has denied the group believes in white supremacy.

But one of the websites, Stormfront, is run by a man who is a former high-ranking member of the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama, Potok said, and the other, White News Now, is operated by the former “right-hand man to David Duke, the former Klan leader.

The eyewitness, whose identity the SouthtownStar has agreed to keep private because the man fears retaliation, said he and his family were having lunch when the frightening attack started. He quickly realized what he thought was a robbery had turned into a fight for his life.

“I also remember thinking that this must be the feeling that passengers experience on a hijacked plane,” he said.

The attackers began upending tables, hurling plates and silverware and attacking other diners.

“I stood up and grabbed a wooden chair as one of the assailants approached from the left. I started swinging the chair to protect my family and other elderly patrons in our corner,” the man says in a written statement. “Suddenly, another assailant charged at me from the right. He was violently swinging a metal baton. The terrorist swung two or three times at my head and face. Thank God I was able to block the brunt (of) his attack with the chair.”

The witness said he shared his account because he wants people to patronize The Ashford House, 7959 W. 159th St. He suffered a gash to his head, and one of his hands was still swollen days after the attack. But his injuries did not prevent him from dispensing some justice of his own.

“When I was fending them off, I realized my head was bleeding. And my hand was really hurting,” he said. “But when one of those guys said, ‘Don’t let him up,’ I ran across the room and hit him as hard as I could in the face with a chair.”


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News
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1 posted on 05/26/2012 11:53:06 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Those tea party hooligans are violent... oh wait.


2 posted on 05/26/2012 11:56:04 AM PDT by HMS Surprise (Chris Christie can still go to hell.)
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To: Kaslin
Great follow up to thist story from the other day....
 
'Anti-Racists' Attack White Heritage Group in Family Restaurant
ABC News ^ | 05/23/2012 | Andrew Fies



3 posted on 05/26/2012 12:00:31 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: Kaslin

The world is going to heck in a hand basket when Illinois Nazi, simply celebrating White Pride, cannot peaceably gather for their fanciest meal of the year without being attacked by marauding white folks.


4 posted on 05/26/2012 12:06:20 PM PDT by Uncle Slayton
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To: Kaslin

Chicago. Only the thugs have weapons.


5 posted on 05/26/2012 12:06:51 PM PDT by George from New England
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To: Uncle Slayton

>>The world is going to heck in a hand basket when Illinois Nazi, simply celebrating White Pride, cannot peaceably gather for their fanciest meal of the year without being attacked by marauding white folks.
<<

This was wanton, not targeted (except location)...


6 posted on 05/26/2012 12:15:36 PM PDT by freedumb2003 ('RETRO' Abortions = performed on 84th trimester individuals who think killing babies is a "right.")
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To: Kaslin
They did not discriminate as to the targets of their violence, even pushing an 80-year-old woman to the ground

Nope, no age-ism or sexism there.

7 posted on 05/26/2012 12:21:46 PM PDT by JustSayNoToNannies (A free society's default policy: it's none of government's business.)
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To: Kaslin
wielding bats, claw hammers and metal batons

This story, had it happened in Texas, would have focused on how the poor bat, claw hammer, and metal baton wielders were cut down by racist, bigoted rednecks clinging to their concealed weapons....

8 posted on 05/26/2012 12:23:08 PM PDT by Feckless (I was trained by the US << This Tagline Censored by FR >> ain't that irOnic?)
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To: Kaslin

Pretty bad when even that turd Potok criticizes an “anti-racist” gang of thugs. He usually just hates on whitey.


9 posted on 05/26/2012 12:30:46 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: George from New England
Yep concealed carry would have come in mighty handy there during an episode which includes a thug w beatin yer head in with a baseball bat...just sayin'.....
10 posted on 05/26/2012 12:36:17 PM PDT by jimsin (w)
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To: Kaslin

Does Indiana allow Concealed Carry?


11 posted on 05/26/2012 12:41:09 PM PDT by gitmo ( If your theology doesn't become your biography it's useless.)
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To: gitmo
According to this site

Indiana is a Shall Issue State

12 posted on 05/26/2012 12:49:08 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Uncle Slayton

It will be interesting when this violent racist, anti-racist group puts a beat down on the New Black Panthers, or some Chicano race group.


13 posted on 05/26/2012 1:00:07 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: Uncle Slayton
"Illinois Nazi, simply celebrating White Pride"

The only place the word Nazi pops up is in your post. Are you a Nazi?

Do you advocate white shame?


14 posted on 05/26/2012 1:17:24 PM PDT by I see my hands (If you say what you think then no one will like you.)
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To: gitmo

open or concealed.

“...carry on their person or in a vehicle, any handgun lawfully possessed...”


15 posted on 05/26/2012 1:19:09 PM PDT by digger48
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To: Uncle Slayton
The world is going to heck in a hand basket when Illinois Nazi, simply celebrating White Pride, cannot peaceably gather for their fanciest meal of the year without being attacked by marauding white folks.

Keep in mind that these Leftist thugs would not hesitate to do the same to a FReeper or TEA Party gathering. They hate us more, because we're more effective in rolling back the socialist agenda.

16 posted on 05/26/2012 1:26:42 PM PDT by PapaBear3625 (If I can't be persuasive, I at least hope to be fun.)
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To: I see my hands
I see that the group meeting in the restaurant was affiliated with Stormfront.

And it would be difficult to maintain that Stormfront is not a Nazi organization.

17 posted on 05/26/2012 1:28:50 PM PDT by Uncle Slayton
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To: Kaslin; gitmo
Indiana is a Shall Issue State

The assault happened in Illinois, which is a heavy-gun-control state. The perps drove in from Indiana.

18 posted on 05/26/2012 1:30:14 PM PDT by PapaBear3625 (If I can't be persuasive, I at least hope to be fun.)
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To: ansel12
It will be interesting when this violent racist, anti-racist group puts a beat down on the New Black Panthers, or some Chicano race group.

Yeah, like the Latin Kings.

I want video of that.

19 posted on 05/26/2012 1:32:17 PM PDT by Trailerpark Badass
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To: Uncle Slayton
I see that the group meeting in the restaurant was affiliated with Stormfront. And it would be difficult to maintain that Stormfront is not a Nazi organization.

So?

Did they lose their right to peaceably assemble in a restaurant and have dinner and talk? Or do only the people you like have Constitutional rights?

20 posted on 05/26/2012 1:32:52 PM PDT by PapaBear3625 (If I can't be persuasive, I at least hope to be fun.)
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