Klan protests renaming of parks in Memphis

photo Ku Klux Klan members gather Saturday for a protest outside a courthouse in Memphis. About 60 members of the Ku Klux Klan rallied Saturday in Memphis to protest the renaming of three Confederate parks.

MEMPHI - About 60 members of the Ku Klux Klan have rallied in Memphis to protest the renaming of three Confederate parks.

Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said Saturday's rally was peaceful, with no injuries or property damage and only one arrest for disorderly conduct. The police presence was extremely heavy in a closed-off section of downtown Memphis.

Some Klan members wore pointed white hoods and waved flags with the letters "KKK' on them. One leader said through a megaphone "you're not going to take our parks."

A nearby anti-Klan rally attracted a total of 1,275 people throughout the day. Some chanted "KKK, go away."

A North Carolina-based faction of the Klan came to protest after the City Council voted to rename Nathan Bedford Forrest Park, Jefferson Davis Park and Confederate Park.

Upcoming Events