KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasWhite Supremacy Gangs Stepping Up Recruitment in Las Vegas
"It makes it an attractive state for a lot of extremist groups to come and not only fund illegal activities with other illegal activities such as meth manufacturing, but also coming because state is a transient state," said ADL's Cynthia Luria.White supremacy groups might make a recruiting push in Las Vegas the next few weeks and there's one group in particular that has some people worried.
Metro says there are no documented reports in Las Vegas for the group called Public Enemy Number One, but hate group watchers say it's just a matter of time. The group is a mixture of a street gang, prison gang and white supremacy group, and they could be headed to Las Vegas.
Anti-Defamation League spokeswoman Cynthia Luria said, "We know they are in Bullhead City, down in Laughlin area."
Luria says this group is different from your normal hate group. Rather than relying on pamphlets and fliers to get their message out, this group isn't afraid to use violence, even against police officers.
Drugs, specifically the manufacturing of methamphetamines, is another common trend with this group and is why members may start migrating towards Las Vegas.
"It makes it an attractive state for a lot of extremist groups to come and not only fund illegal activities with other illegal activities such as meth manufacturing, but also coming because state is a transient state," Luria continued.
Public Enemy Number One originated in Southern California but is spreading out. They'll join non-violent groups like National Vanguard who are already in Southern Nevada.
Luria says recruitment for all hate groups, whether violent or not, will be stepping up in the next few weeks, including at local high schools and middle schools.
Luria said, "Every campus has some type of recruitment, either by a skin head group or local chapters by national hate group."
And it's not just teens being recruited. More educated people as well as white-collar workers are joining and giving more strength and voice to groups who already stir up controversy.
The Anti-Defamation League says the reason for the increase in recruitment varies from Hitler's upcoming birthday to holidays like Cinco de Mayo.
