KKK, City Clash Over Right to March

G A R Y, Ind., Jan. 19, 2001 -- Gary Mayor Scott King changed thecity’s permit process a day after the American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan announced theywould apply again to hold a rally.

The city on Wednesday rejected separate requests by the Ku KluxKlan and the opposition Partisan Defense Committee to hold rallieson Saturday, citing errors in their permit applications.

The PDC has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Hammondseeking to force the city to grant it a permit for Saturday. BarryJanus, a spokesman for the group, said the PDC also will oppose thechange in the permit process.

"We are going to very aggressively be taking that up incourt," he said.

Taking advice from the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, the KKKsaid it would reapply for a permit on Jan. 27.

Calls seeking comment on Gary's permit process change were leftat the ICLU and the KKK.

King said he was concerned that changing the permit process froma week to 45 days would be a burden to groups that regularly seeksuch permits. But he said the change was necessary because "othersdesire to use our city as a backdrop" to articulate their views.

The change will give city officials time to prepare for suchevents, as well as giving groups time to prepare or respond towhatever action the city takes regarding their applications, hesaid.

Klan Imperial Wizard Jeff Berry, who founded the American Knights in 1995 and directed its growth to about 20 chapters nationally in three years, told The Washington Post that the rally "has nothing to do with racism."

The purpose of the rally is to point out to Gary's black majority how King has failed to live up to his election promises to improve social programs aimed at minorities with tax revenue that was expected from a new casino, Berry said.