The firefighters who let the hooded guests into their party say that being accused of racism “hurts bad”
A Canadian fire department has issued an apology and denied accusations of racism after a group of guests attended its annual Halloween party dressed in the white robes and hoods of the Ku Klux Klan.
Four people showed up at the North Sydney Firefighters Club in Nova Scotia on Saturday dressed as members of the KKK. In a series of photos that have since gone viral, the group could be seen mingling with other attendees at the Halloween dance, with one holding a wooden cross.
In a Facebook post on Sunday night, the firefighters club said that “these four individuals are in no way, shape or form associated with our organization.”
Pressed over how they were admitted while dressed as Klansmen, Fire Chief Lloyd MacIntosh told Global News on Monday that “a mistake was made,” and that volunteers at the dance later took the wooden cross off one of the guests.
A group of people decided it would be a great idea to dress as members of the KKK for Halloween and attend an event at the North Sidney Fire Fighters Club in Sidney, Nova Scotia. They were even allowed to bring a cross inside with them. NSFFC has since released a minimal apology. pic.twitter.com/nV9BnzGioL
‘Canadian firefighters' organization is receiving backlash on social media after four people who appeared to be dressed as Ku Klux Klan members were seen at the organization's Halloween party.’https://t.co/HDI5mM6xwepic.twitter.com/MSInpSge5u
“The situation at the North Sydney Firefighters club is not who we are or what we stand for,” Deputy Fire Chief Wade Gouthro wrote on Facebook. “The members of North Sydney and myself are very sorry from the bottom of our hearts and we ask for your forgiveness. We would certainly never intentionally hurt or insult anyone regardless of race, color, orientation or religion. I can also tell you to be referred to as racists hurts bad.”
Formed in the aftermath of the American Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan is one of the oldest extremist groups in the US. The group has gone through multiple different iterations, and in the early 20th Century was thought to have up to six million members, including one Supreme Court justice and dozens of governors and members of Congress, as well as a thriving chapter in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan.
The modern KKK a shadow of its former self, and even its most ardent opponents admit that its membership in the US has plummeted to less than 3,000.
Police in North Sydney told Global News that they are investigating the incident to determine if a hate crime was committed.