Several members of white nationalist groups dressed in Ku Klux Klan robes and other regalia staged a protest at a Sunday event in Florence described by organizers as Northwest Alabama's first-ever LGBTQ pride parade.
The relatively rare sight of people wearing KKK robes in public left many of the hundreds of LGBTQ folks and allies who attended the march feeling "shocked and then embarrassed," according to Benjamin Newbern, executive director of the Equality Shoals advocacy group.
"It was just crazy. This was a huge day for the LGBTQ community with the fact that nothing like this had happened before with members of the LGBTQ community marching in the streets here," Newbern said.
"Hate has always been here but it reared its ugly head yesterday to show that it's still around."
An attendee of the LGBTQ march posted video of a member of a white nationalist group who was there on Sunday explaining why he and the others were protesting the event:
Newbern - who estimated that more than 200 people participated in the march and well over 100 more attended it - has since updated a GoFundMe campaign raising money for Equality Shoals to express the group's dismay over the incident. The campaign had raised more than $1,200 as of Monday night.
Some participants in the march were disappointed by statements that the Florence Police Department - whose officers showed up in force and helped ensure that there was no violence at the event - posted on Facebook.
"Two sides, opposing views. Peaceful rally. Our duty and honor to provide security and ensure the safety of both groups," read one of the department's Facebook posts.
White nationalists in Ku Klux Klan robes and other regalia protested an LGBTQ pride march in Florence on Sunday. (Florence Police Department)
Another concluded with the following pair of hashtags: "#equalitymarch2017 #defendersoftheconfederatecross."
Florence Police did not respond to a request for comment.
Will Cross, a member of the Equality Shoals board of directors, expressed surprise that the department would make such statements.
"That's very odd because that group to me is based on hatred and is like a terrorist group to me," Cross said. "I don't think there should be an equivalence there because we paid and got permits and hired police officers, and they just kind of showed up trying to scare people."
But he and Newbern said that the police were very helpful in keeping everyone safe, and that the main point the march's organizers hope to get across is that the event was a success and its LGBTQ and ally participants and attendees were able to march peacefully and join together in solidarity and celebration.
White nationalists in Ku Klux Klan robes and other regalia protested an LGBTQ pride march in Florence on Sunday. In this image, a pro-LGBTQ attendee of the march displays a sign in front of white nationalist protesters. (Courtesy Richard Wallace)
"Honestly, I'm really impressed that as many people showed up as did, especially in our small town where it's typically really conservative. I was also really impressed that there were tons of families and small children there with signs saying things like 'I support my gay child,'" Cross said.
"We just wanted to have a sister march to the national marches happening all across the nation."