COUNTYWIDE : 4 Abort Klan Rally in Fear of Violence
Four Ku Klux Klan members from Bakersfield aborted their plan to rally in Simi Valley on Saturday, saying they feared that anti-racism demonstrators would attack them.
About 35 demonstrators gathered outside the East County Courthouse to protest the planned Klan rally. Even without the Klan, the demonstrators held a brief rally and scuffled with an unidentified man who tore up one of their handouts and made a Nazi-style salute before leaving. No injuries were reported.
John Varela, 60, the Bakersfield man who organized the Klan rally, said he drove past the courthouse several times accompanied by three other Klan members--two women and a man. Varela said they considered marching even though Simi Valley police had said they could not provide adequate protection for the Klan rally.
In the end, Varela said, the group decided that the chances of violence were too great and went home.
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