29.10.2026 20:26
In the US state of Texas, a group of young people went out onto the street wearing the outfits of the racist Ku Klux Klan (KKK) organization for a Halloween party. Footage showing the youths shouting severe racist insults against Black people after counting down together drew reactions. While police launched an investigation into the incident, US politicians and civil society organizations condemned what happened.
In Texas, a group of young people chose the outfits of the Ku Klux Klan organization, known in US history for violence and racist attacks against Black people, to attend a Halloween party.
The young people walking on the street in costumes that became the symbol of the organization used racist expressions targeting Black people within earshot of those around them.
THEY COUNTED DOWN AND SHOUTED RACIST SLURS
In the footage that emerged, one of the young people is seen asking the group to chant a slogan together.
Thereupon, after the young people counted down in English saying "One, two, three," they all shouted a severe racist insult targeting Black people together. The group was heard repeating the same phrase over and over.
It was stated that the words used in the footage are a racist slur historically used to demean Black people and express hatred toward them.
POLICE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FOOTAGE
After the incident in El Paso, Texas, the police took action. El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas announced that the footage was being examined and that it was being investigated whether any crime, including disturbing public order, had been committed.
Pacillas, stating that the clothing associated with the Ku Klux Klan and the expressions used represent a history of racist violence and hatred, emphasized that it is unacceptable for these to be seen as a joke or costume.
HARSH REACTION FROM US CONGRESSWOMAN
Veronica Escobar, who represents El Paso in the US House of Representatives, also reacted to the footage. Describing what happened as extremely disturbing and unacceptable, Escobar recalled the KKK's history of racist violence against Black people and other communities.
Emphasizing that racism has no place in society, Escobar stated that no person should be forced to live in fear because of their origin or appearance.
STATEMENT FROM ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION
The El Paso branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which defends the rights of Black people in the US, also made a statement after the incident.
Carl B. Dwyer Jr., the local president of the association, stated that KKK clothing recalls the US's history of racist violence and said that what happened cannot be considered entertainment.
The identities of the people in the footage have not yet been officially disclosed, and no detentions or charges related to the incident have been announced. The police investigation continues.
WHAT IS THE KU KLUX KLAN (KKK)?
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is an extremist organization in the US that advocates white supremacy and is known for acts of racism, threats, and violence against Black people and other minority groups. First founded in 1865 in the state of Tennessee after the American Civil War, the organization aimed especially to prevent Black people from gaining equal rights.
WHITE ROBES AND POINTED HOODS BECAME ITS SYMBOL
Ku Klux Klan members are known for their white robes and pointed hoods that conceal their faces. Throughout history, the organization carried out lynchings, murders, arson, and threats against Black people. Jews, Catholics, immigrants, and various religious communities were also among the organization's targets.
IT BECAME IDENTIFIED WITH THE DARKEST HISTORY OF THE US
Reaching millions of members especially in the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan came to the fore again in the 1950s and 1960s with violent acts organized against the civil rights struggle of Black people. Having largely lost its power and membership over time, the organization continues to exist today in small and scattered groups rather than a single and centralized structure as in the past.
The KKK's white robes and pointed hoods are among the most well-known symbols of racism, white supremacy, and historical violence against Black people in the US.