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A group dressed in Ku Klux Klan outfits at a quiz organised by a local Bay of Plenty community group
A group of people dressing as the Ku Klux Klan for a quiz night community event has sparked outrage in Kaimai.
Ku Klux Klan is a clandestine white supremacist organisation in the United States which terrorised, lynched and killed African Americans, Jews and other racial minorities. The KKK are known for carrying burning crosses to intimidate people, and wearing white hoods.
The quiz team also had a petrol can on the table and the team name “give us a Klu”, a person, who attended the event where other teams were also wearing costumes, told Stuff.
“They came in, and I think people were a bit taken aback,” they said.
When a local heard what had happened he was shocked by “the abhorrent behaviour”, and concerned that nobody had stopped the group from taking part.
A spokesperson for the quiz organisers, the Kaimai Settlers Committee, said that they did not remove the group as no one complained at the time.
“We as a committee were immediately concerned when the ‘young guys concerned’ entered late. We had discussed removing them. However, nobody approached anyone with concerns at the time or throughout the night. Had they have, we would have acted.”
The organisers have now approached the group and “strongly suggested they front with an explanation and apology for their actions”.
The quiz night was held on August 19 at the Lower Kaimai Hall, also known as the Settlers Hall. It is one of 18 community halls on land of Western Bay District Council, owned and operated by local hall committees and can be used by the public.
The community hall is on the grounds of Kaimai School, but chair of the board of trustees, Reuben Hayward, told Stuff that the quiz had nothing to do with the school.
“It was not our fundraiser and absolutely nothing to do with the parents or teachers. It was organised by a local group.”
Principal Andrea Colebourn said, “We want to make it very clear that Kaimai School was not associated with the private function that took place. We however, we find the actions of the group and costumes involved highly offensive, and we do not condone any form of this degradation.”
On a local Kaimai community page locals showed their disapproval, one commenting that it was “insensitive and distasteful”.
Others expressed concern that nobody stood up and protested about the outfits at the time.
Tauranga born New Zealand journalist David Farrier wrote about the incident on his substack page and said that New Zealand “must do better” in its disregard for offensive costumes such as KKK and blackface.
In 2009, a Kapiti politician refused to apologise for wearing a KKK costume, saying it was a form of satire.
Earlier this month Christchurch locals were shocked when people wearing blackface costumes, won a best-dressed competition.
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