ELLIJAY, Ga. - Roughly 50 Ku Klux Klan members gathered today in the back parking lot of the Gilmer County Courthouse to protest U.S. immigration policies, illegal immigrants and the president.
But a crowd of more than 200 onlookers gathered across the street to watch the demonstration. Police would not allow anyone in the parking lot except Klan members.
Speakers for the Knight Riders of the Ku Klux Klan focused most of their words on immigration, hatred of Hispanic immigrants and anger at President Barack Obama.
"Mexicans need to start a revolution in their own country instead of coming here to suck up on the gravy of our hard work," one speaker said.
More than a dozen of the spectators carried signs that were in oppposition to the Klan's comments and, at times, they sang "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and chanted "Go home."
Only a handful of the spectators appeared to be Klan suppporters, cheering during the various parts of the speeches and chanting "white power."
Tiny Ellijay, about 70 miles southeast of Chattanooga, was at a standtill today for the event, as residents stood on street corners and dozens of police officers lined the streets.
