El Paso Police Investigate Viral Videos of Residents in KKK Robes

El Paso authorities began an investigation on Monday after viral videos circulated online showing a group of people walking through a residential neighborhood in white robes and hoods resembling those of the Ku Klux Klan.

The footage, recorded by a bystander who can be heard laughing in Spanish, depicts the group strolling down a street. In one clip, the person filming urges them to shout a slogan. Police confirmed the location is within the city limits of El Paso, Texas.

Police Chief Peter Pacillas released a statement saying the department is determining whether the group, which reportedly includes young people, violated laws related to disorderly conduct or other offenses. Pacillas noted that symbols associated with the KKK carry a history of terror and racial hatred, making them unacceptable as a costume in the community.

"Free expression has limits when it crosses into conduct that threatens public order or the safety of others," Pacillas wrote. He invited residents with information about the incident to contact the department.

Carl B. Dwyer Jr., president of the El Paso NAACP branch, held a news conference on Monday to address the incident. He described the display as deeply hurtful to Black Americans, noting that the KKK has represented real-life terror since the Civil War. Dwyer stated that many residents view the robes as a joke, but the historical weight makes the image painful to see.

"It hurts," Dwyer said, repeating the phrase after supporters at the event sang the hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing." He called on local superintendents and school districts to speak up and remind students of the historical context.

Artie C. Maxwell Jr., pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, also spoke at the conference. He reminded the audience that the city has a brief history of sympathizing with the Confederacy. Maxwell emphasized that the costumes are not just a joke when considering the lives lost to those who wore them in the past.