Huntington officials condemn KKK Halloween ride after social media backlash

Huntington, Indiana, officials moved quickly to address a public relations crisis on Saturday after images of a couple riding through residential neighborhoods in Ku Klux Klan costumes spread across social media. The incident occurred during trick-or-treat hours, prompting immediate condemnation from municipal, county, and state leaders.

Mayor Richard Strick was the first official to issue a statement, formally disapproving of the display. The Huntington County Commissioners followed with a joint statement on Sunday. Rob Miller, the President of the Commissioners, told 21Alive News that the community cannot treat the event as a minor festive error. “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.”

State Senator Nick McKinley, who represents Senate District 17, which includes Huntington, Grant, and Wabash counties, also issued a statement condemning the behavior. The political response highlights the tension between local tradition and historical sensitivity in the region.

The female rider, who declined an on-camera interview, addressed the controversy via Facebook messages on Monday. In a prior post to a local community group, she described the group as “1 ghost off the kkk, 2 ghost horses and 1 regular old ghost.” She apologized to children who may have been offended by the look. In her messages to 21Alive News, she defended the choice of attire, stating, “I think there’s not much wrong with it being a costume on Halloween. Lots of Halloween costumes are controversial.” She added that while she understood the offense, it did not justify attacks on the family. “We are not Klan members, and we are not racists. We did nothing to physically harm anyone,” she wrote.

The woman stated the costumes were worn for approximately 30 minutes and argued the reaction was “blown out of proportion.” She cited specific harassment, including doxing, defamation, and 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 different path forward. Parker, whose daughter attended school in Huntington, called the display shocking and hurtful. “It represents racism. It represents hatred of humanity,” Parker told 21Alive News. He suggested that reacting with anger only creates more anger. Parker extended an invitation for the woman and her boyfriend to meet with him and other community leaders for an open discussion. “I would love for you guys to come sit down at a table with myself and a couple of the leaders in the community, so that we can have an open discussion, so that we can try to do some educating, so that we could try to bridge some gaps,” Parker said.

When asked by 21Alive News on Monday if she would consider the meeting, the woman expressed willingness. “It would have to be something me and him discuss but a possibility,” she said.