White supremacist and antisemitic hate group
The
Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
is a group styled after the original
Ku Klux Klan
(KKK). Formed around 2012, it aims to "restore America to a
White
,
Christian
nation founded on
God's word
".
[1]
The organization presents itself as part of a "
new KKK
". By rejecting the
hate group
label, it proclaims itself a "non-violent pro-white
civil rights
movement."
[2]
Unlike the
Protestant
second Ku Klux Klan
(1915?1944), the group unites white-supremacist Christians of different denominations. It is however somewhat stricter than other contemporary KKK chapters in accepting only "native-born white American Citizen[s …] of Christian Faith" who "believe in White Supremacy and 100% Americanism."
[3]
Activism
[
edit
]
In a 2014 recruiting campaign, the group left flyers near cars as well as in driveways in predominantly white neighborhoods of
Texas
,
Louisiana
,
Illinois
,
Pennsylvania
,
South Carolina
,
[3]
and
Georgia
.
[4]
In July 2015, members of the
Loyal White Knights
, which is currently considered the largest KKK chapter, and members of the
Trinity White Knights
protested against the removal of the
Confederate flag
from the
South Carolina State House
in
Columbia, South Carolina
in the wake of the
Charleston church shooting
. Their rally in front of the State House was also attended by members of other KKK chapters, members of the
Neo-Nazi
National Socialist Movement
, and
Christian fundamentalists
. According to press reports, protesters waved
Nazi flags
, and chanted
racial slurs
before they clashed with
black
counter-protesters.
[5]
Chris Barker, the group's "
Imperial Wizard
" was noted as the organizer of a "
White lives matter
" demonstration on March 2, 2016 in
Anaheim, California
, when KKK members attacked counter-protesters, triggering a fight when a KKK member stabbed a counter-protester with a flagpole.
[6]
His compatriot Will Quigg, the "California Grand Dragon West Coast King Kleagle" of the
Loyal White Knights
and as such in charge of the area from Texas to the Pacific,
[2]
was attacked. Brian Levin, a professor and the director of the Centre for the Study of Hate and Extremism at
California State University, San Bernardino
, intervened, saving Quigg from further harm. Quigg proceeded to
play down the Holocaust
and he also blamed
Jews
for what he called "
white cultural genocide
". Quigg supported
Donald Trump
early in the primaries of the
2016 United States presidential election
. However, in March 2016, Quigg changed his endorsement to
Hillary Clinton
, claiming that she has a "hidden agenda",
[7]
although questions have been raised by
Snopes
over the sincerity of his endorsement.
[8]
In 2017, members of the group participated in the
Unite the Right rally
in
Charlottesville, Virginia
alongside the Confederate White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the
alt-right
,
neo-Nazis
,
white nationalists
/
supremacists
,
Southern nationalists/neo-Confederates
,
Identitarians
, the
Proud Boys
, and members of various
militia groups
. Earlier on July 8, 50 members of the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan had held a rally in Charlottesville which was denounced by hundreds of counter-protesters.
[9]
In July 2017, Chris Barker was interviewed by
Univision
's
Ilia Calderon
. During the interview, he called Calderon a racial slur and stated that his group was going "to burn you out". In reference to immigrants, He also stated: "We killed 6 million Jews the last time (a reference to the
Holocaust
).
Eleven million is nothing
" (referencing the illegal immigrant population of America).
[10]
Also in 2017 around
Valentine's Day
, members distributed fliers inviting people to join the chapter. These flyers were left on driveways as well as in yards around
Grand Junction, Colorado
.
[11]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (LWK)"
. Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium
. Retrieved
March 16,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
Charlie LeDuff
(July 22, 2015).
"Road-Tripping to South Carolina With the 'New' KKK"
.
Vice News
. Retrieved
March 16,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
Lauren Barbato (July 16, 2014).
"Ku Klux Klan Recruits In South Carolina, And They've Got Candy"
.
Bustle
. Retrieved
March 16,
2016
.
- ^
Maurice Barnes (July 16, 2014).
"KKK recruits in Atlanta neighborhood, residents outraged"
. Rolling Out
. Retrieved
March 16,
2016
.
- ^
Max Blau (July 19, 2015).
"
'Still a racist nation': American bigotry on full display at KKK rally in South Carolina"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
March 16,
2016
.
- ^
"KKK rally in California erupts into vicious brawl: 'All hell broke loose'
"
.
AP
. February 28, 2016
. Retrieved
March 16,
2016
.
- ^
Robert Tait (14 March 2016).
"The KKK leader who says he backs Hillary Clinton"
.
Daily Telegraph
. Retrieved
15 March
2016
.
- ^
LaCapria, Kim (April 29, 2016).
"The KKK Took My Payday Away"
.
Snopes
.
- ^
Park, Madison (August 12, 2017).
"Why white nationalists are drawn to Charlottesville"
. CNN.
- ^
Shugerman, Emily (August 12, 2017).
"KKK leader threatens to 'burn' black Latina journalist and calls her a 'n*****' during interview"
.
The Independent
.
- ^
"
"Valentine's" fliers promoting the Ku Klux Klan distributed in Grand Junction"
.
The Denver Post
. 2017-02-25
. Retrieved
2019-03-04
.
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