Skinhead meeting planned for Portland this weekend

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A group of racist skinheads planned a weekend meeting in the Portland area, and a hate-group watcher said he'd be surprised to see as many as 100 people show up for a gathering of members of the Hammerskin Nation.

The group's Web site spoke of a three-day "Hammerfest 2007" in "beautiful Portland," with bands and speakers, but gave no details about times and places.

The Anti-Defamation League describes Hammerskin Nation, formed in the 1980s in Dallas, as the most "feared racist skinhead group."

Randy Blazak, a Portland State University professor of sociology and criminology, said a member of a local host group, Volksfront, had called him about the gathering. As director of a Hate Crimes Research Network, he said, "I sort of have a working relationship with these people.

"They themselves are saying 100 people, and they'll be lucky to get 100," he said. Two years ago, a similar gathering drew about 70, he said.

Blazak and Portland Police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz said the group is adept at disinformation, sending out false information about the venues of its gatherings. "We expect that," Schmautz said.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)