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Facebook video appears to show KKK supporters in East Windsor

EAST WINDSOR — East Windsor police are investigating after a video surfaced on Facebook over the weekend that appears to show a person dressed in KKK garb...
kkk-in-east-windsor

EAST WINDSOR -- East Windsor police are investigating after a video surfaced on Facebook over the weekend that appears to show a person dressed in KKK garb.

You can see in the video, a group of people around a fire, one dressed in a KKK costume. Another person in the video is wearing a "Make American Great Again" hat and people are seen waving a Donald Trump flag.

East Windsor First Selectman Robert Maynard tells FOX 61 he saw the video and East Windsor police are investigating. He said he believes the video was shot by "kids" who used ATVs to reach a 500-acre section of town called the "pits." Police plan to speak to those involved, Maynard said.

"From what I could tell, they were just reacting to the election," Maynard said. "They were just having a party."

Detective Sergeant Matthew Carl spoke out about incident Monday afternoon. He said there was roughly 30 to 50 people at the bonfire Saturday night and called it "disgusting" and "deplorable."

"The KKK is a symbol of hate," Carl said. "The East Windsor Police Department doesn't stand for that." He added that this is not just "kids being kids" and the community has been "shaken to its core."

"With the sentiment of the country, we do not want anyone to think we're taking this matter lightly." Carl added.

He also explained that this was not a KKK organized event. It appears to be a party that turned into a "symbol of hate."

The American Defamation League released a statement to FOX 61 about the incident, which said, in part:

The content of the video was disturbing, disgusting and racist and we thank local law enforcement for looking into the matter. Our National Center on Extremism is also looking into the video.

We do not believe that it is a real Klan rally, but we are troubled by what it represents which is the acceptance of hateful behavior by those who stood by and watched.  We know that this behavior does not represent the vast majority of people in that community or Connecticut.  The Klan has a very small presence in the Northeastern part of the country, and no discernible presence in Connecticut.

The sheer number of people present is an indicator that it is not a Klan rally.  Also, Klan rallies are more ceremonial, somber...for them a religious gathering. During actually Klan rallies everyone would be wearing a robe, and they would burn a cross or swastika- not riding a motorcycle around a bonfire. This is not to excuse the actions in the video, but to put them in context and respond appropriately.

It was first believed the video was recorded in Stafford.

"There's been a disturbing and disgusting racist video traveling around Facebook," Stafford First Selectman Anthony Frassinelli wrote on Facebook Sunday. "There's been indications that it took place in Stafford involving a few of our residents."

But, according to State Police Spokeswoman Trooper Kelly Grant, the event actually took place in East Windsor.

Frassinelli held a meeting with law enforcement Monday to discuss the video. He also said he will look into "what solutions can be brought forward to address this horrible behavior."

"We will not let the actions of a few ignorant people embarrass our town and its residents," Frassinelli said.

In September, a mannequin dressed in KKK clothing appeared on a building in Wallingford. Police could not figure out how it got there and the man who owned the property took it down.

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