Aryan Anonymity, White Hoodies Style

[George at Orwellian.Org]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/klan991019_feature.html
#    
#    KKK Sues NYC
#    Klan Wants to Wear White Hoods
#    
#    Norman Siegel of the New York Civil Liberties Union filed suit 
#    against the city and the police commissioner on behalf of the 
#    KKK, alleging its First Amendment rights will be violated if 
#    police do not issue the group a permit to hold a rally. (Ed 
#    Bailey/AP Photo)
#    
#    By Donna De La Cruz
#    
#    N E W   Y O R K, Oct. 19 -The Ku Klux Klan sued the city and 
#    the police department today, alleging its First Amendment rights 
#    to wear its traditional white hoods will be violated if the group 
#    is not issued a permit for a rally Saturday.
#    
#    The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court on behalf of 
#    the KKK by the New York Civil Liberties Union. NYCLU Executive 
#    Director Norman Siegel said the group loathes the message of 
#    the KKK, which asked the NYCLU to take the case.
#    
#    "But this case is an important First Amendment case," Siegel 
#    said. "Regardless of the message, the First Amendment says people 
#    have a right to express their views. They have a right to 
#    anonymous political activity."
#    
#    The city's lawyers did not immediately respond. Two federal judges 
#    - Harold Baer Jr. and Alvin Hellerstein - will hear the KKK's 
#    case, as well as the case of one group who wants to stage a 
#    counterdemonstration - at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
#    
#    Hoods Violate Obscure State Statute Last week, the police 
#    department denied the Church of the American Knights - a branch 
#    of the KKK - a permit to gather in front of the New York County 
#    Courthouse at 60 Centre Street in lower Manhattan because the 
#    group planned to wear its traditional white robes and hoods.
#    
#    The permit was denied on the grounds that the wearing of hoods 
#    violates a state statute that prohibits groups of people from 
#    congregating in public places while wearing masks or disguising 
#    their faces, except for authorized masquerade parties or other 
#    entertainment.
#    
#    Siegel, the NYCLU executive director, said that statute violates 
#    the First Amendment and has rarely been used since it went into 
#    effect 150 years ago.
#    
#    In the lawsuit, the KKK contends its members wear the hoods to 
#    protect their identities because they've been subjected to 
#    retaliation because of their views. KKK National Imperial Grand 
#    Wizard Jeff Berry has also said the hood is part of the group's 
#    "religious attire."
#    
#    Berry, who lives in Butler, Ind., did not return a telephone 
#    call for comment today.
#    
#    Counterdemonstrations Planned
#    
#    In the lawsuit, the KKK said it expects between 50 to 80 people 
#    to attend its rally, slated for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
#    
#    Three groups - the Partisan Defense Committee, the Latino Officers 
#    Association and a coalition of elected officials, religious 
#    leaders and community activists - have all applied for permits 
#    to stage counterdemonstrations. Police were still reviewing those 
#    permits today. The Partisan Defense Committee is also suing the 
#    city in federal court for the right to hold a counterdemonstr
#    ation.
#    
#    Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said if the KKK rally and counterdemon
#    strations take place, police officers normally patrolling 
#    elsewhere would have to be called in to ensure that the 
#    demonstrations proceeded safely.
#    
#    The Partisan Defense Committee has distributed about 80,000 
#    leaflets about the protest citywide, said attorney Rachel 
#    Wolkenstein. Coalition members also hope to attract thousands.