Local law enforcement and civil rights leaders in El Paso, Texas, are strongly condemning a series of viral social media videos depicting a group of people, believed to include juveniles, wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white robes and hoods while walking down a neighborhood street.
The footage, which circulated widely online, captures the group moving through a residential area. In one of the recordings, the person behind the camera can be heard laughing and prompting the group in Spanish, saying, “Y’all gotta yell something, güey,” utilizing a common slang term akin to “dude” in English.
During a news conference held Monday morning, Carl B. Dwyer Jr., president of the El Paso branch of the NAACP, denounced the public display. The gathering began with supporters singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the historic hymn often referred to as the Black national anthem, before Dwyer addressed the media regarding the deep pain inflicted by the imagery.
“Many believe that it’s just a joke,” Dwyer said. Emphasizing the historical weight of the white robes and hoods, he added, “It hurts. It hurts.”
El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas released a formal statement addressing the incident, confirming that investigators are reviewing the footage to determine if any laws were broken. Authorities are examining potential charges such as disorderly conduct or other applicable offenses.
“Symbols and language associated with the Ku Klux Klan represent a history of terror, violence, and racial hatred,” Pacillas said in the statement. “They have no place in our community. Treating that history as a costume or a joke is unacceptable and contrary to the values of respect and safety that define El Paso.”
Also speaking at the Monday news conference was Artie C. Maxwell Jr., pastor of El Paso’s Mount Zion Baptist Church. Maxwell provided local historical context, noting that the region has past ties to the Confederacy, and warned against dismissing the display as harmless behavior.
“We may think that it is a joke, but it’s not a joke when it comes to the lives that have come before us,” Maxwell stated. “God, that many have died at the hands of those who have worn those costumes.”
Police have urged anyone with information regarding the identities of those involved or the origin of the videos to come forward. Chief Pacillas emphasized that constitutional protections do not grant absolute immunity from local regulations, noting that free expression has limits when it crosses into conduct that threatens public order or community safety.
In addition to calling for accountability from law enforcement, Dwyer urged local educational leaders to address the incident directly within schools. He called on area superintendents and school districts to speak out and reinforce historical education regarding racial violence and its lasting impact on society.
