Huntington officials condemn KKK costumes

A couple riding through Huntington, Indiana, on horseback in Ku Klux Klan costumes sparked a wave of community anger on Saturday.

The incident occurred while children and families were out trick-or-treating in residential areas. Photos and videos of the ride circulated on social media over the weekend, prompting formal responses from city, county, and state officials.

The first major official reaction came from Huntington Mayor Richard Strick. He released a statement condemning the display. The Huntington County Commissioners followed with a joint statement on Sunday that publicly criticized the behavior. State Senator Nick McKinley, who represents the district covering Huntington, Grant, and Wabash counties, also issued a statement addressing the event.

Commissioner President Rob Miller spoke to 21Alive News on Sunday. He argued that the community cannot treat the incident as a minor prank. “I think it’s something that we can’t disregard as just a Halloween prank,” Miller said. He noted that the costumes reenacted a dark chapter in national history involving racism and violence. Miller called it unconscionable that anyone would believe the display was acceptable.

The female rider addressed the backlash on Monday via Facebook messages to 21Alive News. She declined an on-camera interview but had previously posted an explanation to a local group. She described the group as one ghost off the KKK, two ghost horses, and one regular ghost. She apologized to children who might have been offended after taking photos with the riders.

When asked if the explanation minimized the offense, the woman defended her choice of costume. “I think there’s not much wrong with it being a costume on Halloween,” she said. She acknowledged that some people were offended but stated that did not give them the right to attack the couple. The woman emphasized that neither she nor her boyfriend are Klan members or racists. She said the costumes were worn for about 30 minutes and that the situation was blown out of proportion.

The rider also described the backlash as escalating into targeted harassment. She cited doxing, defamation, and specific threats against her family and animals. “There are death threats and threats to steal horses,” she wrote. She urged news outlets to cover these incidents alongside the original photos.

Roderick Parker, founder of Big Hearts Community Projects, offered a path forward. Parker, whose daughter grew up in Huntington, said the display represented racism and hatred. He argued that reacting with anger alone would not solve the underlying issues. Parker invited the couple to sit down at a table with him and other local leaders for an open discussion. He said the goal was to educate and bridge gaps between community members. When asked by 21Alive News on Monday if she would consider the meeting, the woman said it was a possibility that she would discuss with her boyfriend.