Advocate To Join Hate-Crimes Meeting

Bill Wassmuth, the director of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, will participate in the first-ever White House Conference on Hate Crimes.

President Clinton will host the conference Monday in Washington, D.C.

Clinton said the conference will “emphasize positive actions we can all take to prevent hate crimes and to make certain they are treated seriously….”

The Northwest Coalition was formed a decade ago when Wassmuth moved from Coeur d’Alene to Seattle to become its director.

The coalition covers the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming and Colorado. It monitors hate crimes, advocates legislation and helps communities respond to hate crimes.

More than 600 hate crimes were reported to law enforcement last year in the six-state region, the coalition said.

“I plan to bring to the conference the experience that we have accumulated during the past 11 years,” Wassmuth said Wednesday.

He said he wants to “highlight the importance of standing together against hate crimes and bigotry in all their forms.” , DataTimes