New flyers from the Ku Klux Klan have been found around Covington following a proclamation from Mayor Joe Meyer that “The KKK is simply not welcome” in the city.
Meyer made that statement at a Sept. 10 Covington City Commission meeting. On Sept. 14, LINK was provided an image of a flyer that has been distributed around the city referencing what was said during the meeting.
The flyer proposed that Meyer’s statements “terroristically threatens” the Klan.
Specifically, the flyer references this quote from Meyer: “We have used cameras and other techniques to try to identify those who are distributing flyers so that we can tell them in a more personal way that that attitude, those values, are not welcome in our city.”
The discussion during this week’s commission meeting was sparked by Eastside neighborhood residents who attended in hopes of sharing their concerns about the distribution of Klan literature in their neighborhood in July. The flyers in July bore the image of a hooded Klansman, pointing at the reader.
LINK nky has also received reports of similar leaflet distributions in Florence.
The Eastside + neighborhood association met to discuss the matter in August. Neighborhood residents, police officers, candidates for public office and other community leaders attended the meeting, where, in the end, the association decided to bring their concerns to the city publicly.
The flyers passed out this week stated, “The Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan doesn’t take kindly to THREATS from a mongrelized, disease, drug ridden city mayor. In a more personal way You are NOONE to tell Us where we are welcomed. This is AMERICA and Our Rights will NOT be VIOLATED.”
The bottom of the flyer includes a line that reads: “Fot more information and an application, please send S.A.S.E to,” followed by a post office box number in Maysville and a phone number.
During the Sept. 10 commission meeting, Eastside + President Melissa Kelley said, “We want the community to be aware when these things happen. We believe the community should respond publicly every time to targeted groups with a message that we are all with them, that they are valued citizens, and Covington will have their back.”
Reyna Van Gilder, the current chair of the Covington Neighborhood Collaborative, echoed these sentiments.
“An incursion on one of our neighborhoods is an incursion on all Covington neighborhoods,” Van Gilder said.