Huntington officials react to KKK costume ride
Local leaders condemn a Halloween display in Indiana while the rider defends the choice and cites threats against her family.
By Talia Bennett ·
A couple riding horses through Huntington, Indiana, in Ku Klux Klan costumes on Saturday has drawn sharp criticism from city and state officials. The ride took place in residential neighborhoods where families and children were trick-or-treating. Photographs and videos of the event spread quickly on social media over the weekend, prompting formal responses from local leaders.
Huntington Mayor Richard Strick was among the first officials to issue a statement. The Huntington County Commissioners followed with a joint release on Sunday condemning the behavior. Rob Miller, the president of the county commission, told 21Alive News that the incident should not be treated as a harmless joke.
“I think it’s something that we can’t disregard as just a Halloween prank,” Miller said. “I don’t know how anybody could come up with this and not know that this was such a dark chapter in this nation’s history, and to reenact, in costume fashion, this type of racism and violence that plagued this nation for years. I think it is unconscionable that somebody would think that that was OK.”
The woman on horseback responded to the backlash through Facebook messages to 21Alive News on Monday. She described the outfit as a ghost theme, calling it “1 ghost off the kkk, 2 ghost horses and 1 regular old ghost.” She apologized to children who took photos with them and explained that the costumes were worn for approximately 30 minutes.
“I think there’s not much wrong with it being a costume on Halloween. Lots of Halloween costumes are controversial,” she said. “And yes I do fully understand that some people were offended it just doesn’t give them the right to attack people when we didn’t attack anybody.” She stated that she and her boyfriend are not Klan members and have not physically harmed anyone.
The rider claimed the reaction has escalated beyond online comments. She cited doxing, defamation, and specific threats against her family and animals. “I think the news needs to say something about the doxing, threats, defamation of character, and harassment that is happening,” she wrote. “Including the fact the lots of people are threatening families and children. There are death threats and threats to steal horses.”
Roderick Parker, founder of Big Hearts Community Projects, proposed a face-to-face meeting to address the tension. Parker, whose daughter attended school in Huntington, said the display sparked fear and outrage. He wants to use the moment for education rather than hostility. “It represents racism. It represents hatred of humanity,” Parker said. “Seeing something like that definitely causes immediate concern. It sparks a sense of fear. It sparks a sense of outrage. And then there’s the anger and the frustration for what it represents.”
Parker invited the couple to sit down with local leaders for an open discussion. He aims to bridge gaps and offer a new perspective on the community dynamics. When asked by 21Alive News on Monday if she would consider the meeting, the rider said it would depend on a discussion with her boyfriend. “It would have to be something me and him discuss but a possibility,” she said.
