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Members of the white supremacist group Klu Klux Klan protesting the removal of the Confederate flag in South Carolina were challenged by a counter-rally for Black power Saturday, amid racial tensions in the country.
Close to 50 members of the Loyal White Knights of the KKK attended a protest at the South Carolina Statehouse where the Confederate flag was recently removed following a heated debate over its racial symbolism.
NBC reported that protesters waved Confederate flags, including one featuring a Nazi symbol, while shouting racial slurs against members linked to the New Black Panthers Party who were also present at the site to stand their ground.
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What a coincidence: both the Nazi & Confederate flags! RT @alanblinder: Columbia, S.C., outside the State House. pic.twitter.com/qkxGPVRtsP
— Uri Horesh (@urihoresh)
July 18, 2015
White protester in #ColumbiaSC screams: "This is my country! My ancestors founded this country!" pic.twitter.com/OW9HQSFGow
— Shevaun Bryan (@finessebryan)
July 18, 2015
“Black power!” chants contested the racist slurs as 200 people attended a "Countering the Attack on Black Unity Rally,” which included members of Black Lawyers for Justice and Black Educators for Justice.
RELATED: 5 Key Facts on the Racist History of the Confederate Flag
Various scuffles broke out between the groups causing two people to be taken away by the police, Wyff4.com reported. Some people also managed to get hold of a Confederate flag and tore it into pieces.
Minor scuffles as KKK and Black Educators for Justice share #ColumbiaSC state grounds. Cops on rooftops, in crowd pic.twitter.com/wChi7bsPo8
— Shevaun Bryan (@finessebryan)
July 18, 2015
Protesters have just ripped up a confederate flag after taking it from a KKK protester #ColumbiaSC pic.twitter.com/lnrQ73O9f8
— Bart Boatwright (@bartboat)
July 18, 2015
The Klan is more historically accurate & intellectually honest in that regard than folks saying it's just heritage https://t.co/JSnuYHTowc
— Bree Newsome (@BreeNewsome)
July 18, 2015
The rallies ended after about an hour, NBC reported, as security officials ushered everyone away.
"A lot more work needs to be done and real social change toward racial equality and a lot of reparation needs to take place, and I think if you don't see it and experience some things, you don't get the same message," Susan Leighton told NBC.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who called for the flag's removal from the State House grounds after the killing of nine black people by a white supremacy admirer, urged South Carolinians to stay away from the Klan rally.
