The United Dixie White Knights (a South Mississippi-based chapter the Ku Klux Klan) allegedly sent a video of a burning Cross to the leader Mississippi Rising Coalition. This group is based on the Gulf Coast and works to change the state flag. It is the only one in the country that contains the Confederate battle emblem. The group posted a statement denouncing the sending of the video and criticizing journalists who covered it. It also included a threat to a top Republican legislator who had stated that he would like a new flag. “Phillip Gunn ranks high on our list of turncoats who chose Mississippi voters in the back to satisfy his lust for National politics. This decision will be regretted by him soon. “Our Jackson, Ms Klavern, is one of the largest Ku Klux Klaverns this country, and I have given them the orders to blanket Gunns District with fliers meant for awakening the White sheep to his activities,” the unsigned post states. It refers to the Mississippi House speaker, who is a Republican from Clinton. The Mississippi Rising Coalition filed a federal suit against Ocean Springs on Wednesday to prevent it from flying the state flag. This was just days after they received the video. The lawsuit claims that the city violates the federal Fair Housing Act by flying a state flag. It also expresses “a preference for white residents” and “a corresponding discouragement and suppression of African-American residents.” The lawsuit also includes the alleged threat from the KKK chapter. Curley Clark, a plaintiff in the suit, and Jackson County NAACP President Curley Clark stated Wednesday that “(the Ocean Springs mayor) and board of aldermen” have encouraged extremists to express their true white supremacist sentiments. “We are here for equality for all Ocean Springs’ citizens.” Brent Waller, the leader of the KKK chapter, responded to the video and promised to take more political action to ensure that the state flag is kept flying in an official capacity. In a Monday telephone interview, Brent Waller, leader of the KKK group, stated that if we don’t get involved in politics, then they (activists who wish to change the flag), will just run the narrative. They try to silence us, and keep the far right from hearing us. Today, we live in a state tyranny. This is how I see it. It makes us sick.” Gunn called him out again during the interview. Gunn is the most prominent Republican leader to call for a new flag for the state. Gunn’s office declined comment. Waller spoke out about Gunn, saying that he would do all he could to get rid of the bastard. Waller answered, “I know that trick,” when asked about his strategy. My strategy is too secretive for me to share. Waller outlined his political strategy in less than three minutes. Waller stated, “We’re going blast his district using flyers.” Waller said, “Maybe we will work on his campaign to get inside information. If he raises his head and makes more noises, I’m going to endorse him. That is something that no one wants. That strategy has worked in the past.” Waller was asked which campaign this strategy worked for and he pointed to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Waller stated that “some brothers in Alabama supported Hillary.” Waller stated that “Ain’t none of these boys supported Hillary, but the media sure enough ran with the story.” Both national and local news outlets covered the 2016 endorsement. However, almost every report was skeptical that the endorsement was authentic or weighed any weight. After the Civil War, the KKK was established to terrorize blacks as well as enforce Jim Crow segregation laws. The KKK’s members operate in secrecy and include law enforcement officers, politicians from local and state governments, and in Mississippi, at most one U.S senator, Theodore Bilbo. Klan members used racial intimidation to prevent African Americans voting. In recent years, there have been a number of Klan rallies in support of Confederate flag. This was after nine people were killed by Dylann Roof, a white neoconfederate, in 2015 and to protest the removal of Confederate statues throughout the country. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were at least five flyer campaigns by United Dixie White Knights in Mississippi and Alabama in 2017. The group distributed flyers in Belhaven’s Jackson neighborhood and in Florence’s black neighborhoods in 2016. Heidi Beirich is the director of SPLC Intelligence Project. This project covers hate groups as well as their activities. However, he does not believe that the group is growing. Waller wouldn’t say how many people are part of his group this week. Beirich stated that it was impossible to determine the membership numbers of any group. However, they claim that they are the largest KKK group in America. In the months before Brent Waller, the former imperial wizard, closed the doors to UDWK, July 2017, it was evident that the group was struggling for members. Beirich said that the group was looking to make alliances with hate groups and Klan groups to keep its feet on the ground. We have seen activity from UDWK in 2018, but we aren’t convinced that it is growing significantly.” To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to UDWK today as part of the Spring Member Drive.