Police in Wallingford, Connecticut were alerted early Saturday morning to reports of a man dressed in KKK attire and giving a Nazi salute while standing on an abandon building that was visible to vehicles passing by on Route 5. But this particular Klan member didn’t appear to be moving.
When police showed up on the scene, they quickly discovered that the "klansman" was not a man at all, but rather a collection of buckets and other items staked up to look like a person.
Police got in touch with the man who owned the property, who denied knowing anything about the display. He immediately gave police permission to take the mannequin down.
Had police found the individual who placed the mannequin, they could only have charged that person with trespassing, although displaying symbols associated with the Ku Klux Klan is protected under the First Amendment. However, the Anti-Defamation League released a statement following the incident:
“We commend the Wallingford Police for their swift action in taking down the display. This kind of hateful display has no place in our towns or in our country. We hope that the person or people responsible are identified so they can be educated on the impact and history of this detestable imagery.”
The display was standing for less than an hour.
Hat Tip: FARK