Posts of people dressed in KKK uniforms in Tennessee town on Halloween spark outrage

JAMESTOWN, Tenn. (WATE) – Some outrage in Fentress County over several viral social media posts showing seven people in Ku Klux Klan uniforms on Halloween.

The group was spotted in several different areas of Jamestown, including the SONIC, according to their corporate office, as well as the Little Caesars, according to employees there.

WATE 6 On Your Side reporter Elizabeth Kuebel spent the day speaking with people in the area, finding out how they are reacting to the pictures and video.

Some in the area say they’re feeling shocked, ashamed and upset.

SONIC’s Communications department released a statement, reading in part:

“We understand that people dressed in offensive costumes visited this drive-in briefly during the evening of Halloween, and a video of them was posted on social media. Their choice to wear such offensive costumes is unacceptable, and we certainly hope they will make a different choice in the future.”
SONIC Communications

A similar reaction came from the people that live and grew up in Jamestown.

“I was very upset and outraged,” said Bailey Neal.

“This is sad. I am so ashamed of the people in this video, this is not ok. This is not acceptable behavior,” Eric A. Patton said.

They both do not want the incident to be representative of the place they call home.

“This is not who the people who raised me are. This is not indicative of Fentress County, but obviously it’s there, so hopefully some good will come from this,” said Patton.

“It is something that should not be taken lightly, and I think that something should be done about it,” Neal said.

The Mayor of Jamestown said, “The city does not condone the actions taken by the folks dressed in the offensive costume. The citizens of Jamestown are not that way. There are several different races that live in Jamestown. We don’t want anyone thinking people in our town are racist, we’re not.”

WATE 6 On Your Side also reached out to police for a comment.

They tell us there is no investigation open, saying “it was a distasteful costume by some teenagers. No crime was committed.”