Published: October 22, 2007 11:11 pm            

Ku Klux Klan to hold rally around courthouse

By Brittany Woodby

BWOODBY@CULLMANTIMES.COM



The National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan have asked the Cullman City Council to issue a permit allowing them to assemble in front of the Cullman County Courthouse.

Dan Quinn, Grand Dragon of the Realm of Alabama for the Church of the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc., wrote to Mayor Don Green and the council asking for permission to hold the rally Nov. 10.

Quinn said the reason for the group’s meeting would be to speak “out against the invasion of our beautiful state by the illegal immigrants and their impact on our societies.”

Quinn’s letter promised the assembly would be in and of “a decent context.”

City Council President Woody Jacobs said the group had met in Cullman before and asked Cullman City Police Chief Kenny Culpepper if the rally would cause any threat to public safety. Culpepper said it would not.

“We’ve had some minor trouble,” he said. “We made some arrests.”

Jacobs said the council did not have the authority to give permission for the KKK to meet on the courthouse steps but could give them permission to meet on the sidewalk by the courthouse.

Councilman Ernest Hauk motioned to approve the group’s request to meet along the city sidewalks. The council then voted unanimously to approve the motion.

“Living in the country that we do, they have the right (to assemble), as long as they don’t violate our laws,” Jacobs said.

        

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