Grand dragon roger kelly free#
The court found that “Although no official permit is issued, the permission system of the Town operates as a prior restraint on free speech. Also, the court found that the commissioners were free to impose any conditions that they chose. They were not subject to public hearings, questions about their intent, or financial conditions. The court found that the town treated the granting of permits for other parades in town differently.
The court case looked at whether the town procedure for considering parade applications was constitutional, whether the town could impose financial conditions on the KKK for granting the permit, and whether Thurmont could make nondiscrimination a condition of granting the permit.
“You have indicated you will not provide insurance coverage or any hold harmless agreement or reimbursement of expenses in assisting you with a parade in this town apparently meaning claiming no responsibility.”. “The town facilities and resources are being provided to an organization that appears to be discriminatory to races other than the white race, and also appears to be antisemitic and discriminate against other religions.” and. Who is responsible for damages that may be incurred by the town, for anyone along the parade route?” We have asked various questions as to who the Klan is, and we have not gotten answers. “We don’t know who we are giving this permit to. This time, the reasons given, according to the lawsuit, were: The commissioners took only ten minutes to decide to deny the permit again. Not surprisingly, many of the public commenting spoke out against having the Klan march through town. The ACLU counseled Kelly not to answer many of the questions and asked for a permit free of conditions. The commissioners asked questions of Grand Dragon Roger Kelly, trying to figure out what conditions they could impose on the Klan. District Court lawsuit notes.ĭuring the public hearing, the American Civil Liberties Union appeared on behalf of the Klan. The NAACP informed Town counsel that they would sue the Town if it granted permission without imposing a nondiscrimination condition,” the Klan’s U. “Sometime between June 8, 1988, and August 24, 1988, the NAACP informed counsel for the Town of Thurmont that they considered that case law of this Court prohibited the Town of Thurmont from granting permission for the KKK’s proposed parade, unless black and/or nongentile persons were allowed to march in that parade. This time, the commissioners reserved judgment and scheduled a public hearing. The Klan tried again in August for a September parade. “Another group, Moore’s Business Forms, would be holding a large event on the same day.”. “Concern for the safety and welfare of citizens as well as of the KKK members” and. “The parade would require the use of all of the Town’s police officers and would require time and a half to be paid to these officers”. “They did not want to set a precedent where many other groups could request to hold parades in Thurmont”. In the case of the Klan’s parade, the commissioners rejected the permit because according to a KKK lawsuit against the town: 
SHA would not recommend it without the approval of Thurmont’s police chief, who would only approve it with the support of the commissioners.Īlthough commissioner approval was not required in the town ordinance, a process had developed that the town evaluated any parade applicants in Thurmont and approved or denied applications.
It had also been submitted to the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). The Maryland State Police had already approved the Klan’s special event permit. The Thurmont Commissioners denied the permit. However, it was also being held to recruit new members with the slogan “Save Our Land, Join the Klan.” The parade would be made up of no more than one hundred members, one float, and a few vehicles. The KKK said the parade was to support the “Just Say No to Drugs” campaign and the AARP. On May 27, 1988, the Maryland Invisible Empire of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) applied for a parade permit in Thurmont to be held in August. Thurmont Forced to Allow KKK to March Through Town
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