Altamont Park Mob Action Makes National Headlines

By Ashley McNamee

June 26, 2011 Updated Jun 26, 2011 at 10:32 PM CDT

Peoria is making national headlines tonight for a large mob action in the Altamont Park neighborhood.

Witnesses say these streets were filled with more than 70 African American young adults Friday night.

The neighborhood association president, Paul Wilkinson, says they were making threats and yelling quote kill the white people, end quote.

Wilkinson says this is the fifth mob action in the neighborhood this month, but by far the largest.

He says residents are worried for their safety and for their homes.

"We've had people beating up on each other, and making threats toward each other, but not towards other people or bystanders, things like that. And there's been no other indication of any inappropriate racial comments until this incident," said Wilkinson."

Wilkinson credits the police as being helpful and responsive.

Saturday morning, police placed one of the nuisance abatement vehicles at the coroner of Thrush and Sheridan to try to quiet the area down.

In the meantime, residents have been advised to be cautious in the coming days.

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