Neo-Nazi group plans Phoenix march

A neo-Nazi group plans a march on the Arizona Capitol this weekend to protest illegal immigration and support the rights of American workers.

Jeff Schoep, commander of the National Socialist Movement, said, "It's not about going after Jews or blacks or anything like that. It's about enforcing the law here in this country as far as illegals are concerned. It's about bringing America back to its former glory."

Schoep said, however, "First and foremost, as a white civil rights organization, our concern is with white people primarily." But, he said the group also supports "all legal citizens, all people who are here legally."

Bill Strauss of the Anti-Defamation League in the Valley said he believes illegal immigration is just a cover.

"I think what they're addressing is skin color and ethnicity. That's what this is all about."

Strauss added, "Lots of groups want to cloak their own bigotries and prejudices in the issues surrounding illegal immigration and the border, but that doesn't mean that's reality."

He said the best thing people in the Valley can do is ignore the neo-Nazis.

"I would love for the story to play out: Nazis march on Phoenix, community couldn't care less," he said.

Schoep insisted the focus of the march is illegal immigration and said, "I think we've progressed as a movement. I'd like to get away from the word `hate' or neo-Nazi and anything of that connotation."

Schoep said he likes the policies of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, but that he is not endorsing the sheriff.

"I appreciate the work that he's doing as far as going after the illegals and enforcing the law," he said. "We respect that."

Schoep said his group has a strong following around the Valley and that he expects at least 100 of them to turn out for the Phoenix march.

The state Capitol Police and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are the lead law enforcement agencies on the Capitol grounds.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump said Phoenix officers will be ready if they're needed.

"We have teams of officers who prepare for these," Crump said. "We try to do our best to get the information in advance as to what groups show up, to make sure that conflict is dealt with properly."

Crump added, "We have the manpower available to deal with Saturday sufficiently and to keep the peace if we need to. We're not expecting problems, but we always prepare for that contingency that there might be."

He would not say how many Phoenix officers will be in the Capitol area.