ADL Trains Kansas Law Enforcement in Local Extremist Activity

Date: October 6, 2009

"Extremist activity is on the rise throughout the United States, and the Midwest is not exempt," ADL Plains States Regional Director Alan Potash told the National Latino Peace Officers Association in Wichita, Kansas.

The fatal shooting of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller by a radical anti-government activist in Wichita last spring drove home this point with far-reaching consequences. Another example of homegrown fanaticism in Kansas, the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church has been targeting the local Jewish community (among other groups) with inflammatory rallies and offensive language.

Potash also briefed the officers on regional and national trends in extremism, focusing on white supremacist subculture, growing anti-immigrant sentiment and a resurging militia movement.

"With the demographic changes in our country, the faltering economy and the election of the first African American president, the ADL is seeing more hate-spurred activity in our region," Potash said. "We want to be a resource for law enforcement as they work to protect their local communities in these times."

The ADL Plains States Office offers law enforcement agencies and community organizations in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa locally-tailored workshops on domestic and foreign terrorism, including up-to-date backgrounders on extremist leaders, trends and events. For more information, call 402-333-1303.