A closer look revealed that many of these partiers sported tattoos and close-cropped haircuts. At this point, the passersby might have quickened their pace or locked their car doors. It's a response skinheads are used to encountering. Still, event organizer Tim Nord understands the skepticism, to some degree. I worry that the show's going to get shut down because of a riot.
People equate skinheads with violence, and that's a well-earned reputation.
I'm not going to deny it. We're not Boy Scouts. When getting the event started, that was the biggest obstacle I had to overcome. We were pretty strong-arm, and some people got upset that they were manhandled a bit, but if Johnny punches Joey and then Joey gets mad and gets his friends, pretty soon the whole place is fighting. There's an old adage, 'You don't shit where you sleep,' and I don't want them to screw my city up, because I still want to do things.