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Ku Klux Klan leaves ‘get out the vote’ fliers across Alabama

Posted at 11:59 AM, Nov 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-01 11:59:04-04

MADISON, Ala. -- Some Alabama homeowners are outraged after the Ku Klux Klan left fliers around their town.

The hate group is trying to encourage people to go vote in the election. It's also asking people to join the Klan.

Several people who live in St. Charles Place neighborhood of Madison tell WHNT they found baggies full of rocks and paper in their driveway Sunday morning.

What's inside the bag is an uncomfortable topic for many. The message said in part, "Black Lives Matter Black Panthers are telling followers to kill white people and police officers".

Many in the neighborhood said they were disgusted, but didn't want to go on camera for fear of retaliation.

"This is pretty standard tactics for that particular Klan group. They've been fliering all over the sate. They were in Wichita last weekend. This is a pretty common practice for Loyal White Knights," said Heidi Beirich with the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Beirich tracks hate groups for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery.

"It breaks my hearts that people receive this kind of material, but unfortunately, this is the Klan using its First Amendment rights. So, they have every ability to do this."

Beirich tells WHNT her agency doesn't know of any violent situation involving the Klan.

There are eight Ku Klux Klan organizations in Alabama. the Southern Poverty Law Center estimates there are up to 6,000 Klan members nationwide.

You can find the Southern Poverty Law Center's "Hate Map" at www.splcenter.org/hate-map.