The Rally

Protesters march against KKK demonstration

What began as a calm demonstration against the Ku Klux Klan on June 22 ended in chaos, with eight arrests, shattered windows and canisters of tear gas exploding in the streets.

Hundreds of Ann Arbor residents appeared at the city's Guy C. Larcom, Jr. Municipal Building on that Saturday afternoon to demonstrate their discontent for the historically racist organization.

Two hundred seventy-seven University, local, county and state police officers lined the streets surrounding the city hall building as the anti-KKK protesters arrived, marching up East Huron street chanting: "No free speech for KKK - let's shut them down, let's do it today."

Although the rally began with few problems, Carl Ent, chief of the Ann Arbor Police Department, said the demonstrators began hurling bottles and bricks at both the Klansmen and the police. One of the Klan members, the wife of the National Imperial Wizard, Jeff Berry, received a minor head injury when she was hit by a rock thrown by one of the demonstrators.

Ent said at that point, the police were instructed to use mace, tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

"Our mission was to ensure public safety, maintain public order and protect the First Amendment rights for all the people that were present," Ent said in a press conference following the rally. "I feel very comfortable with the expertise and plan that was used. I feel very comfortable that we are doing everything we could to prepare for this."

The 15 Klan members arrived in unmarked police vans and spoke from the second-level balcony of the city hall building, separated from the crowd by police and fencing that displayed signs saying that anyone who touched the fence would be maced.

One of the main goals of Ann Arbor Organizing Against the Klan (AAOAK), a union of several organizations, was to disrupt the Klan rally and prevent the Klan members from being heard.

"We hope to shut them down and we're prepared to do whatever means we have available," said Jodi Masley, an RC senior and protest organizer. "In terms of violence, the Klan are the perpetrators of it - we believe in self-defense, we have to come out and defend ourselves."

While some protesters said they felt the KKK had no right to speak because of what they advocated, others said they believed that everyone has a right to be heard.

"Demonstration is important - the KKK has every right to voice their opinions, but we don't have to stand for it," said Keshia Thomas, a recent Huron High School graduate who has been the focus of national attention after she shielded a man wearing a shirt bearing the Confederate flag from the blows of other protesters. "If I hit someone, it won't change their view - you must use your head and your voice."

Several protesters showed concern for the amount of tax money spent to ensure safety. "They're welcome to speak, but to spend so much money to have them protected like this is wrong," said recent University graduate Percy Herrero.

Confusion and chaos broke out once the police began to tear gas and mace the crowd.

"They're tear-gassing the hell out of them and it's just considered crowd control," said Julie Lubeck, a University graduate.

"For Ann Arbor, this is the most violent the police have ever been," said Lisa Schlicker, a member of the Detroit branch of the Free Mumia Coalition. "They were harassing people excessively."

The protesters retreated to Main St., but along the way, two protesters hurled rocks at the Washtenaw County Courthouse, smashing three windows and one glass door. Protesters also hollered at patrons eating outside at the One-Eyed Moose restaurant, angrily demanding that they "get off their ass."

Aleksas Lahti, an Ann Arbor resident and an on-looker at the rally, criticized the crowd. "They're just about as big of jerks as the Klan is," Lahti said. "What kind of good are they going to do?"

One protester was rushed to the hospital for a broken leg. Thirty officers were treated for exposure to chemical irritants, but none were seriousy hurt.

In total, security costs for the rally cost the city $55,788. Police enforcement alone cost $37,240.

Ent said that in his opinion, the officers showed a lot of restraint. "Any actions done were in response to the crowd," he said.

-Daily News Editor Katie Wang contributed to this report.

JONATHAN LURIE/Daily
Ann Arbor resident Keshia Thomas tries to shield the body of Albert McKeel Jr. from the angry blows of her fellow anti-KKK protestors on June 22. McKeel was wearing a shirt bearing the Confederate flag.

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