- Imperial Klans of America
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Imperial Klans of America Formation 1997 Type Ku Klux Klan Headquarters Dawson Springs, Kentucky, USA Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards Website www.billwaggonercrew.com The Imperial Klans of America, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan is a white supremacist organization styled after the original Ku Klux Klan (KKK). In 2008, it was reported that the IKA had the second largest KKK membership.[1]
The IKA claims to be the sixth era of the Ku Klux Klan headed by Ron Edwards. Members of the 6th era, like members of previous eras, claim constitutional rights as part of the "Unorganized Militia". The IKA claims to stand upon Supreme Court decisions in favor of previous Klans.[2] They are headquartered near Dawson Springs, Kentucky and claim external Imperial Klan offices in Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, South Africa, South America, and throughout Europe.
In 2001, the IKA's annual "NordicFest" peaked with more than 300 people attending the event.[3] The IKA was featured on National Geographic's "Inside American Terror" in 2008 and The History Channel's Gangland in 2009.[4]
In 2010, the FBI arrested Ron Edwards and his girlfriend, Christine Gillette, for possession and distribution of controlled substances, including hydrocodone and methamphetamine.[1]
In 2011, a recurring hoax concerning the IKA endorsing Barack Obama was once again exposed as a farce based on a parody website's humorous reporting.[5] In fact in 2008 Ron Edwards was quoted as supporting John McCain.[6]
Gruver v. IKA
In July 2006, 3 IKA members beat Jordan Gruver, a 16-year-old boy of Native American and Panamanian descent at a Kentucky county fair.[7][8] In February 2007, IKA and Bill Waggoner Crew members Jarred Hensley and Andrew Watkins were convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for beating Gruver.[9] The Southern Poverty Law Center also filed a civil suit on Gruver's behalf in Meade County, Kentucky against IKA "Imperial Wizard" Ron Edwards and the IKA for the actions of the IKA members. On November 14, 2008, an all-white jury of seven men and seven women awarded $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages to Gruver against Edwards.[10]
During the case, the SPLC received nearly a dozen threats "promising the most dangerous threat" ever faced.[11] A July 2007 letter allegedly came from Hal Turner, a white supremacist talk show host.[11] In 2007, Terrence was shown on CNN speaking at an event on the IKA Headquarters' grounds.[12] On the second day of the civil trial, a former member of the IKA testified that the Klan had told him to kill Southern Poverty Law Center chief attorney Morris Dees.[13]
References
- ^ "No. 2 Klan group on trial in Ky. teen's beating". Associated Press. November 11, 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27665247/. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ "Imperial Klans of America International Headquarters". Imperial Klans of America. 2008. Archived from the original on 2007-08-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20070810100200/http://kkkk.net/home.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ "White Noise: Ronald W. Edwards, 43". Southern Poverty Law Center. Fall 2003. http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?pid=210. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ "KKK: Inside American Terror". National Geographic. 2008. http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/inside/3954/Overview. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/kkk.asp
- ^ http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/racists-support-obama-061308
- ^ "Jury awards $2.5 million to teen beaten by Klan members - CNN.com". CNN. 2008-11-17. http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/14/klan.sued.verdict/index.html. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
- ^ "Southern Poverty Law Center vs. Imperial Klans of America". Southern Poverty Law Center. July 25, 2007. http://www.splcenter.org/legal/docket/files.jsp?cdrID=69&sortID=2. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ "Reputed Klan leader denies role in Meade Co. beating". Louisville Courier-Journal. August 15, 2007. http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070815/NEWS01/708160361. Retrieved 2007-09-18.[dead link]
- ^ "Jury awards $2.5M to teen beaten by Klan members". CNN. November 14, 2008. http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/14/klan.sued.verdict/index.html. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ a b Klass, Kym (August 17, 2007). "Southern Poverty Law Center beefs up security". Montgomery Advertiser. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927192930/http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/NEWS/708140328/1001. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ "The Noose, An American Nightmare" CNN Special
- ^ "Former member: Ky. Klan plotted to kill attorney". Associated Press. Nov. 14, 2008. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jlythDb85xRJcZoWIjQxZqNYH-MgD94E75MO0. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
External links
Categories:- Ku Klux Klan
- White supremacist groups in the United States
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