Members of the Ku Klux Klan gathered for a demonstration last weekend in front of the Orange County courthouse. The group did not have a permit and sparked an outcry from the Hillsborough community against their presence. This weekend, a response rally has been planned by progressive groups.
The March for Hate-Free Hillsborough event will take place on Saturday August 31, starting at the Old Slave Cemetery on Margaret Lane and ending at the spot where KKK members stood a week before.
Hosted by the Hate-Free Schools Coalition and Hillsborough Progressives Taking Action, the rally is a direct response to the messages promoted by Klan members the previous week and other Confederate ‘flaggers’ who have made appearances in the town. The event’s Facebook page describes Saturday’s demonstration as a show of opposition to the Klan’s hate and to display that they are not welcome.
Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners Penny Rich spoke with WCHL’s Aaron Keck about last week’s KKK rally. She said she’s been working with Commissioner Sterling Carter in Caswell County after people noticed signs held by the Klansmen saying they were from the county.
“Sterling just wanted to let us know that [Caswell County] stands with Orange County and they’re embarrassed if people were saying they’re from Caswell County. He and I are working on a resolution together, we’ll present it here in Orange County and in Caswell County on [September 3].”
Rich described the dispute between demonstrators and the community as “never-ending.” Hillsborough has been at the center of several disputes over the Confederate flag and its message. The most recent came earlier in August, when a group waving Confederate flags in front of the courthouse sparked counter protesters to gather in the downtown area.
“At some point,” Rich said, “folks have to realize that whatever group it is, they have every right to be on the sidewalk. Whether they’re in their costumes or not, that’s part of their First Amendment rights. What they don’t have a right to do is intimidate people, discriminate people verbally, make them feel uncomfortable or entice any kind of violence.”
Rich said the commissioners have been receiving requests for a town hall to be held over the KKK members appearing with no warning. While a chance to express concerns may be held, Rich said she remembers the last time a forum was held on the matter of white supremacy and pro-Confederate groups.
“Last year when the Confederate flag went up on I-70,” said Rich, “we had the town hall with the [Orange County Human Relations Commission] and we had folks from both sides speak. They did more speaking at each other instead of speaking with each other and I don’t think we came up with any conclusions. I don’t even know if anyone felt very good after we left that town hall. So, we’ll see what happens and what the other local electives want to do.”
Saturday’s march will begin at noon and is expected to last until 2 p.m. It’s unclear whether Klan supporters will also return to Hillsborough.
The Town of Hillsborough announced Thursday afternoon they will reroute traffic in the downtown area to accommodate the march from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Parts of South Occoneechee Street and West King Street to the Orange County Courthouse will be closed. Drivers are advised not to park on West King Street while the march is in progress.
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