Huntington officials condemn KKK costumes worn on horseback

Residents of Huntington, Indiana, spent the weekend debating a pair of horseback riders dressed in Ku Klux Klan costumes. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, a time when families and children were typically walking door to door for candy.

Photographs and video clips of the couple circulating on social media prompted formal responses from city, county, and state officials. Huntington Mayor Richard Strick was among the first to issue a statement condemning the behavior. The Huntington County Commissioners followed suit on Sunday with a joint declaration. State Senator Nick McKinley, who represents Senate District 17, also released a statement regarding the event.

Rob Miller, the President of the County Commissioners, told 21Alive News that the community should not treat the event as a casual joke. “I think it’s something that we can’t disregard as just a Halloween prank,” Miller said. He noted that the costumes reenacted a “dark chapter” in American history involving racism and violence, calling the decision to wear them “unconscionable.”

The woman on horseback declined an on-camera interview but communicated with 21Alive News via Facebook messages on Monday. She previously posted to a local community group, describing the outfit as one ghost off the KKK, two ghost horses, and one regular old ghost. She apologized to children who may have been offended by photos taken with them.

In her messages, the woman defended her choice of attire, stating that many Halloween costumes are controversial. “I think there’s not much wrong with it being a costume on Halloween,” she wrote. She emphasized that neither she nor her partner were Klan members or racists, and that they physically harmed no one. She estimated they wore the costumes for roughly 30 minutes, arguing the situation was “blown out of proportion” because they were not trying to send a specific message.

The rider alleged that the online backlash has escalated into targeted harassment. She cited “doxing, threats, defamation of character, and harassment” directed at her family and animals. Specific threats included death threats and attempts to steal horses, she claimed. She asked news outlets to address these specific forms of intimidation.

Roderick Parker, founder of Big Hearts Community Projects, described the display as shocking and hurtful. “It represents racism. It represents hatred of humanity,” Parker told 21Alive News. He explained that such imagery sparks immediate fear and outrage. Parker argued that reacting solely with anger will not solve the underlying issues and will only create more conflict.

Parker extended an open invitation for the couple to sit down face-to-face with him and other local leaders. He wants to use the meeting for education and to bridge gaps in understanding. When asked on Monday if she would consider the meeting, the woman said it would be something she and her boyfriend would discuss, calling it “a possibility.”