Thousands Denounce Ku Klux Klan

An estimated 3,000 people arrived in downtown Austin on Saturday to demonstrate against the Texas chapter of the American White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which held a rally in front of City Hall to voice support for Proposition 2.

Seven members of the Klan and five supporters of their message rallied in front of the City Hall public plaza from 1 p.m. to about 1:45 p.m. The group's leader, Steven Edwards, the grand dragon of the Texas American White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, delivered a message of what he called "pro-American Christian values."

About 200 police officers were on duty for the event, some wearing riot gear and clutching batons and rubber-bullet rifles. While some protesters screamed obscenities, most remained peaceful, and only two arrests were made on Saturday. One man was arrested for carrying a club and causing a disturbance and another was arrested for having outstanding warrants, said Toni Chovanetz, Austin Police Department public information officer.

Several city blocks in front of City Hall were blocked off by Austin police, including Cesar Chavez Street from Guadalupe Street to Colorado Street, and the South First Street bridge, effectively preventing anyone but members of the media from getting close to the Klan members.

The human rights activist group Texas Civil Rights Project plans to file a federal lawsuit against the city of Austin on Monday. They claim members of certain media outlets, as well as the demonstrators opposed to the Klan, were denied access to the rally, according to President Jim Harrington.