Orange County authorities said Monday that warrants have been taken out after a Ku Klux Klan demonstration in Hillsborough over the weekend.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Hillsborough Police Department issued a joint statement on Monday evening saying that “onlookers told law enforcement that some of the protesters were openly carrying firearms.”
North Carolina is an open-carry state, meaning residents are allowed to openly carry firearms, “this right is limited in certain situations, such as at parades, protests, or demonstrations,” officials said Monday.
KKK members and other white supremacists gathered in front of the Orange County Courthouse on Saturday evening; the demonstration lasted less than an hour and was met with a large counterprotest from Hillsborough residents and elected officials.
Antiracists activists pointed out on Twitter several instances of individuals openly carrying firearms.
Monday’s joint statement said officials from the sheriff’s office and police department “monitored the event from the lawn of the old courthouse.” But authorities said Monday that law enforcement on the scene did not see the firearms during the demonstration.
“If the weapons had been viewed during the demonstration, officers would have made arrests,” Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said in Monday’s release. “However, reports of firearms and confirmation of same were not available at that time. Investigators have since positively identified two individuals in possession of firearms at the demonstration, and the investigation is ongoing.”
Hillsborough Police Chief Duane Hampton said Monday that he and the sheriff had been in “frequent communication” since the event.
“Both our agencies worked together, combining our resources to manage the situation and will take follow up steps as necessary.”
No violent incidents were reported from Saturday’s event.
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