Klan rally led by the U. S. park police

[Henia 11]

D.J Pine

Date: Sep 4, 2006 1:34 AM

Klan rallies, others unite

The Evening Sun

By MEG BERNHARDT

Gettysburg National Military Park rangers arrested one man Saturday at a planned World Knights of the Ku Klux Klan rally. Held at the Cyclorama Center, the 2 1/2 hour rally was attended by about 30 Klan members, seven re-enactor counter-protesters and more than 100 spectators.

Security for the event was led by the U.S. Park Police, a special law enforcement section of the National Park Service, and assisted by park rangers, Pennsylvania State Police, Cumberland Township Police Department and the Gettysburg Borough Police Department.

The U.S. Park Police kept the Klan rally, counter-protesters and public separated from each other by hundreds of feet and metal barriers for safety reasons, said park police Public Information Officer Lt. Scott Fear.

"Basically the only time it becomes heated is when they get in proximity of each other," Fear said.

Hearing the members of the Klan as they spoke into a microphone in their reserved space was difficult because of the distance.

While no arrests were made for physical altercations, Fear said, the National Park Service arrested a man as he ran out with a gay pride rainbow flag onto a closed field near where the Klan were rallying.

The man was later charged with entering a closed area. The park rangers issued him a citation for the misdemeanor and released him, Fear said. There will also be a mandatory court hearing at a later date. Gettysburg National Military Park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon would not release the name of the man Saturday night.

'Splinter groups'

But the man was part of a group of young people, mostly wearing black, who came to the public area with a megaphone and a gay pride flag to counter-demonstrate. The only group with an official permit to counter-demonstrate was the 37th Texas Cavalry, a re-enactor group that tells the story of people of color in the Confederate Army.

That didn't stop the group of young people from turning up at the park though.

Chris Stevenson, of Fairfield, was one of the people gathered around the megaphone. Dressed in all black with a black cap, he said he arrived with about 30 people, most of whom came from Frederick, but some came from other states. He described the Frederick counter-protesters as a loose-knit group of people who belong to social justice organizations and believe in "peace power." However, many other spectators called the group "anarchists."

Some in the group said they described themselves as anarchists or socialists, but that the group is varied.

"Obviously, we're trying to disrupt this and we've managed to do that," Stevenson said as members of his group chanted, "Hey, hey. Ho, ho. The KKK has got to go."

He said many of the people he came with are angry about the comments the KKK makes about homosexuals and blacks. And they aren't afraid to show their anger to the KKK, especially since he believes the Klan holds events like this to scare people.

But the antics of the Frederick group and their supporters upset many of the people attending the event and caused the law enforcement to be concerned about the KKK and protesters clashing.

"The groups that protest (with permits) aren't the ones that cause problems," Fear said. "It's these splinter groups."

At one point, more than a dozen of the young people approached a few Klansmen arriving late and confronted them. A few pushed each other, but police separated them quickly.

'Pointless to fight'

Matt Callery, a Gettysburg resident, watched the Frederick group quietly.

"I think it's pointless to fight hate with hate," Callery said.

Callery heard about the rally and decided to come check it out. He opposes the Klan and said many Gettysburg residents do as well. But, as he looked around, he didn't see many familiar faces.

"A lot of people I talked to were against it and thought the best way to do it is just ignore them," Callery said.

Still, he was shocked to see members of the public near the Cyclorama Center nodding in agreement with the Klan. He saw a little child give the Hitler salute during the rally as well.

But he also didn't like the tactics of the Frederick group.

Gettysburg resident Kelly Crockett came to the rally because she disapproves of the KKK.

But she found once she got there that she also disapproved of the Frederick group's attempt to protest. She was offended by their profanity and the personal attacks on Klansmen.

As the Klan members were walking down to their cars across Taneytown Road from the Cyclorama Center, one of the Frederick group members shouted, "Get over here, I'll take every single one of you" into the microphone.

Crockett went to the front of the Frederick group and told them she didn't approve of their tactics.

"I don't agree with the KKK and I wish I could agree with the protesters, but it's all hate," Crockett said. "They were asking for peace and (at the same time) were being hateful with personal attacks, attacks on their families, appearance and heritage."

'Meet with honor'

Hundreds of Gettysburg residents also protested the Klan rally by attending a Community Unity Day at the Gettysburg Recreation Park, and many college students went to a diversity picnic at Gettysburg College. Three members of the 37th Texas Cavalry and four other re-enactors protested quietly for about 45 minutes at the beginning of the Klan rally.

The re-enactors turned their backs, bowed their heads and placed their kepis a Civil War cap over their hearts.

"We're doing that in honor of the true heritage and history of the South and its fallen heroes, as well as our disgust of the racist garbage going on behind us," said Bob Harrison, 1st sergeant with the 37th Texas Calvary. Harrison, who is black himself, researches the story of people of color who served in the Confederate army. He is offended the KKK claims it is "the ghost of the Confederacy."

"No longer will they go unchallenged. Wherever they step on holy ground, we will be there to meet them with honor," Harrison said.

Saturday's event is the fifth KKK event for which the U.S. Park Police has provided security recently, including a rally at Antietam earlier this year and a Klan visit to an event at Harper's Ferry this summer.

Visitors to the park received hand outs explaining what was happening. At this point, the park doesn't know how much the extra law enforcement will cost, but Lawhon said it will be paid for from a special National Park Service fund for events such as this.

Overall, the U.S. Park Police thought the rally and protests went smoothly.

"It's always a delicate balance to keep the park open and keep everyone safe," Fear said. "That's what happened today, and it really went quite well."

[eric&gen 0]

Fock the KKK losers lol.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

What chopf#cks--when the KKK was set up by ex-Confederates as a protest against (denial of) Union victory, they have to hold their rally at the spot where the Union victory-run started.