Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – An attorney for the KKK warned Loudoun County officials the group would take legal action if the county tried to stop members from giving out fliers.
“Our clients have had their protected activities upheld in various state and federal courts and the actions by both the county and city are clearly against sound Constitutional law. My staff and I are committed to ensure that my client and others who may wish to engage in literature distribution can do so without fear of arrest or detainment and we are prepared to vigorously defend those rights in the courts,” attorney Jason Robb with Arkansas-based Robb Law Firm, PLLC wrote in a letter to Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman, Leesburg Police Chief Gregory Brown and Commonwealth Attorney Jim Plowman.
The fliers were handed out around October and then again around MLK Day according to Loudoun County NAACP President Phillip Thompson. He said the pro-white literature said vile things about black people and immigrants.
The sheriff’s office said in a statement numerous residents contacted them after getting the fliers and said they were concerned for their safety.
“We will continue to act with due diligence to determine if any crimes were committed so that we can enforce laws and keep the peace within our community,” sheriff’s office spokesperson Kraig Troxell wrote.
Thompson said county officials are “playing with dynamite” by just making a quick statement instead of condemning the fliers.
The NAACP would like county officials to have a press conference condemning the fliers to send the message to the KKK that the community is not welcoming them according to Thompson.
“I have a theory that they’re essentially eye-balling Loudoun County and Leesburg for a rally because I don’t think they’re gonna be able to go back to Charlottesville this summer, but that’s just my feeling on it,” Thompson said.
But the NAACP is not concerned with stopping the KKK from distributing its literature, according to Thompson, because they understand First Amendment rights.
Instead of handing out fliers at night, Thompson said the NAACP would like the KKK to come to the public square during the day and peacefully tell people what they think.
Find the full letter here: Knights-Party-Literature-Distribution-Letter1
Copyright 2018 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: Robb Law Firm)
