[MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE]
The next morning it appeared
that the churchgoers prayers had been answered.
A steady trickle of rain fell from the grey sky.
The clan was there
as well as counter-protesters
from various anti-fascist groups from around the country.
The statue dedicated to him remained at the park
and we raise a demand that it should be taken down immediately.
If there was a statue of Adolf Hitler in Central Berlin
it would come down.
There's no way that's possible.
This man is a symbol of tyranny
[JUSTIN SLEDGE ANTIFA] murder and lynching
[JUSTIN SLEDGE ANTIFA] for the vast majority of this city.
There were also several hundred police officers from Memphis
and surrounding areas dressed in full riot gear.
It was clear that this time, unlike 1998
the cops weren't going to let the public, protesters or clan meet
or even within sight or earshot of each other.
[TRIPLE HATE PART 4 OF 4]
Stay out of Memphis.
God and the clan work hand in hand.
I was siphoned into a media pigpen
where the cops ignored everyone
and stood around a lot.
So, we're in the press tent here.
Can't really get a clear shot.
They're not letting our second photographer in.
Total media blackout
which is an interesting way to do things.
For now though, it's just a complete wash all around
literally and figuratively.
Members of the clan gathered during a steady rain in downtown Memphis
on the steps of the old courthouse.
Their protests sparked by the recent renaming
of three confederate-themed parks.
Their number though around 60 far outnumbered by...
Sorry.
So...
What are we doing here?
It's a good day for a cold shower.
Let's put it this way...
Nobody in government here
[JACKSON BAKER MEMPHIS FLYER] city or county
wanted these guys to have a huge success on their hands.
They're honoring free speech
but they're not necessarily easing weight
on this particular kind of free speech.
Whatever statement they want to make
is not being made.
The Crips on the other hand
were nowhere to be found.
I'm on the way back now
about 5 minutes from my house.
5 minutes away?
Yes sir. Maybe about 6.
I'm driving slow in the rain.
Rain was always a threat.
-Yea. -Now that it's here.
It may be nice to take a stand but
what they got going I think we can go with this.
and we can not go to the rally because it's raining.
So, you're not gonna go.
-No, I'm not gonna go. -Not going.
Like, my mother, she was telling me that
she had a bad feeling about it
and it was just staying on her
and then it started raining and so it's like,
if it rained I guess it wasn't meant for me to go down there.
I'm glad...
I'm sure that if I don't go down there nobody's gonna get hurt,hopefully.
And if it stops raining will you go?
Yes.
I'm pretty sure they won't sit around for me either.
Memphis kinda shuts down when it rains.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
OK. Well, good luck.
Same to you.
-Stay safe. -Thank you guys for coming down here.
-DUI. -DUI.
[TISHOMINGO, MISSISSIPPI]
After the rally, we traveled back to Mississippi
to the Imperial Wizard's house.
He had scheduled a cross illumination ceremony
inviting all of the rally's attendees
including the skinheads and other white supremacists
who had attended the event.
Mississippi.
Ku Klux Klan is like fried chicken in Mississippi.
It just goes hand in hand.
[STEVEN HOWARD IMPERIAL WIZARD, LOYAL WHITE KNIGHTS OF MISSISSIPPI]
Red is not really...
In the United Klans of America red used to be like a titan.
My last rank before becoming Imperial Wizard was a Grand Dragon.
I had changed robes so many times
I decided just to keep the red.
It's kinda like my trademark.
Everybody knows me by it.
I go to a rally and people will be like,
"Hey. That's him right there."
And how does it work? How do you move up through the ranks?
Just hard work and having a heart for it.
Not everybody has a heart for it.
The people that are out here tonight
they drove for miles and miles and miles
they have a heart for it.
Where are you from? Where did you come in from today?
Baltimore, Maryland.
How did you become involved with the White Knights?
A couple months ago.
My wife got fired from Wal-Mart.
I believed it to be a racial discrimination case
so I googled White Right lawyers
and you'll come up empty-handed.
Nothing exists.
All I could find was the Ku Klux Klan.
Do we hate black people? No we don't hate black people.
Do we hate homosexuals? No. We're against the sin.
We're against race mixing in a way.
It's not we're not against people.
We just want to save people is all that it is.
We have the right to believe the way we want to
just like they have the right to believe the way they want to.
Klan, do you accept the light?
Klan, then I except the light.
We've had two rallies back to back
different groups but I mean...
the presence is definitely here.
I mean, I think a lot of people are starting to realize, "uh-oh"
they're coming back.
Was this one of the larger turnouts you've had
for one of the illuminations?
It's one of the larger ones. I've been to bigger
but this is pretty big for me.
Different types of groups. Not just clansmen.
And were you happy with today's proceedings?
I'm very happy with the way everything went.
I did it all for that man. That was for Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Clansmen.
Clansmen
Clansmen of Mississipi.
Mississipi.
For Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Clansmen
for the Ku Klux Klan
for the Ku Klux Klan.
Clansmen approach
Where do you see things going for the clan in the next 10 years.
Nothing but growth.
I believe that when Barack Obama was first elected into office
I believe people were like, "I don't know what's gonna happen here."
I'm gonna wait and see.
Now people are really upset about it
especially whites.
I believe we're really fed up and tired of it.
Clansmen. Salute the cross.
I just want to thank everybody for coming down
and for supporting us in Memphis.
I really appreciate it.
I live in Memphis.
I've been with them n**ggers everyday. Thank y'all.
-White power. -White power.
Let's pray that today made a difference
in our lives.
and Nathan Bedford Forrest his name will still stand.
-White power. -White power.
[FOLLOWING THE KLAN RALLY, MEMPHIS MEDIA OUTLETS REPORTED THAT IT COST THE CITY APPROXIMATELY $175,585 TO KEEP THE PEACE.]
[THE STATUE OF NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST STILL STANDS IN WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS HEALTH SCIENCES PARK.]
[HE AND HIS WIFE'S BODIES ARE INTERRED BELOW. THEIR REMOVAL WOULD REQUIRE A COURT ORDER.]
[VICE]