A Halloween gathering in El Paso, Texas, has sparked outrage after a group of people wearing Ku Klux Klan-style robes was filmed walking through a neighborhood while allegedly shouting racial slurs. The disturbing footage has drawn police attention, who are reviewing the incident to determine whether any laws were broken.
Photos and videos circulating on social media appear to show several people wearing the white, pointed robes associated with the KKK at a gathering in El Paso. The group was also reportedly filmed walking through a neighborhood street while shouting racial slurs, according to local social media page FitFam El Paso.
El Paso Police Review KKK-Style Halloween Footage
The footage has since drawn the attention of the El Paso Police Department. Police Chief Peter Pacillas said the department is aware of videos and reports involving people, reportedly including young people, wearing KKK-style robes and allegedly shouting racial slurs. Investigators are reviewing the available information to determine whether any laws were violated, including possible disorderly conduct offenses.
Pacillas also addressed the free-expression questions surrounding the incident, saying free expression has limits when it crosses into conduct that threatens public order or others’ safety. Police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department.
In the video, the individuals can be heard shouting, “We hate n[expletive],” using a common racial slur against Black people, along with other chants such as “One, two, three, bye n[expletive].” The incident has drawn condemnation from U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat representing El Paso, who called the reports deeply disturbing and unacceptable.
“The KKK represents a shameful history of white supremacy, racial terror, and violence against Black Americans and other communities of color,” Escobar said in a statement. “Treating that history as a costume is not a joke.” She added that no one should fear being targeted because of their race or appearance, emphasizing that racism has no place in the community.
Online reactions to the El Paso footage were overwhelmingly critical, with some residents expressing embarrassment and concern about the message the costumes conveyed.
“Wearing clan outfits for Halloween isn’t edgy or funny,” one commenter wrote, describing the display as a reminder of a history of racism and terror. Another added, “Everything isn’t funny kids, lots pain and suffering come with those images.” However, some commenters raised constitutional arguments. One Facebook user wrote: “Not agreeing what they did was funny or right but the 1st amendment protects all this.”
For now, the identities and ages of the people in the footage have not been publicly confirmed. What began as disturbing Halloween footage circulating around El Paso has now become a police matter, with investigators reviewing the videos to determine whether the group’s conduct crossed the line from offensive expression into potentially unlawful behavior.
