North Carolina KKK Rally Prompts Police To Issue Warrants For Gun Violations

A member of the Ku Klux Klan, with the word "Love" tattooed on his fingers, holds a flag during a rally, calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 8, 2017. Th... A member of the Ku Klux Klan, with the word "Love" tattooed on his fingers, holds a flag during a rally, calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 8, 2017. The afternoon rally in this quiet university town has been authorized by officials in Virginia and stirred heated debate in America, where critics say the far right has been energized by Donald Trump's election to the presidency. / AFP PHOTO / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS (Photo credit should read ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Demonstrators behind a Ku Klux Klan banner, some wearing what looked to be Klan robes, rallied without hoods in North Carolina on Saturday. Now, police say they’ve obtained warrants for weapons violations at the demonstration.

In pictures of the gathering, at the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough, some protesters are seen with what appear to be weapons on their belts. It’s unlawful in North Carolina to possess a dangerous weapon at a demonstration in a public place, and a sheriff’s office spokesperson confirmed to TPM Tuesday that two men were wanted for violating that law.

“As protestors and counter protesters dispersed, onlookers told law enforcement that some of the protestors were openly carrying firearms,” Orange County Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood said in a statement Monday. “Prior to this notification, no officer from either agency observed anyone in possession of a weapon.”

If police had seen the weapons at the demonstration, Blackwood said, “officers would have made arrests.”

Since then, he said, police reviewed photos and videos of the event and identified two people who had guns at the demonstration and are attempting to serve warrants.

Though police called the gathering “impromptu” and local reports indicate that it began and ended quickly, some counter-protesters faulted cops with not detaining armed demonstrators at the scene.

Blackwood told the Durham Herald-Sun that one suspect lives in another county and another lives out of state. The paper reported that the demonstrators are members of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and are based out of Pelham, North Carolina.

Pictures from the demonstration showed them carrying a banner that read “Help make America great again. Join the Loyal White Knights.”

Pictured above: A member of the Ku Klux Klan holds a flag during a rally, calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 8, 2017. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images)

This post has been updated.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Simple explanation why the police didn’t see the guns. They thought the protesters were just other cops.

  2. Happy (and, I admit it, a little surprised) to see the police move on this. I’m also a bit surprised that North Carolina has such a law. Apparently, the law applies to both demonstrators and onlookers. It’s actually a good idea to reduce the chances of violence.

  3. “Prior to this notification, no officer from either agency observed anyone in possession of a weapon.”

    Curly: “I can’t see! I can’t see!”

    Moe: “What’sa matta?”

    Curly: “I got my eyes closed.”

  4. Avatar for mrf mrf says:

    Gotta love the sheriffs name; Orange County Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood.

  5. Orange County Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood said in a statement Monday. “Prior to this notification, no officer from either agency observed anyone in possession of a weapon.”

    So, these police would be wholly unqualified to be a bank lobby guard.

    “He had a gun?! Right there in his waistband?! And everyone saw it but me?!?! WTF?!”

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

38 more replies

Participants

Avatar for discobot Avatar for newton Avatar for meri Avatar for mondfledermaus Avatar for brutus1910 Avatar for tigersharktoo Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for losamigos Avatar for lastroth Avatar for ottnott Avatar for dadzilla Avatar for tao Avatar for dougie Avatar for gajake Avatar for johniwaniszek Avatar for ljb860 Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for tpr Avatar for pike_bishop Avatar for the_loan_arranger Avatar for proudlibtard Avatar for gilgamesh Avatar for Murakami Avatar for BarefootTX

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: