Outrage as Halloween party guests show up to firefighters' club in KKK costumes

Images of a group of people dressed as at a firefighters Halloween dance in Nova Scotia, have sparked fury among the community.

The fire hall dance at north Sydney Firefighters Club on Saturday was attended by at least four people wearing the white robes and pointed hoods which are the uniform of the group.

One member of the group also arrived holding a large cross. The four were allowed into the party by volunteers manning the door, but were asked to remove their hoods and the cross was confiscated, North Sydney Fire Chief Lloyd MacIntosh said.

There has been widespread outrage in the community following the publication of the images on social media, with many asking why the four were not asked to leave when they arrived in the racist costumes.

“This is where people need to not shy away — it was a racist act,” local Jason MacLean, who is black, told CBC news.

Quentrel Provo, CEO of an organisation called Stop the Violence, called it another example of racism in Nova Scotia. “'The fact that this was at an event and no one kicked these individuals out, felt uncomfortable or spoke up until after the fact speaks volumes,' he added.

CEO and founder of Canada's Black Women in Excellence, Tia Upshaw, told Global News the images were disgusting. “This is 2024 and this is what we’re still doing? This is what we’re still fighting?' she said.

“Ku Klux Klan, KKK, I don’t care what rock you’ve come from under, everybody knows what they stand for, who they were and what that represents for Black individuals,” Upshaw added.

Meanwhile the North Sydney Firefighters Club apologies for their lack of action and said they were “in no way, shape or form” associated with the individuals, who have not been identified, the reports.

In a post Cape Breton deputy fire chief Wade Gouthro apologised for the incident at the event, which he did not attend.

He said: “I can tell you this, the members of North Sydney and myself are very sorry from the bottom of our hearts and we ask for your forgiveness. I will assure you that we are all hurting in our hearts today that we have disappointed a community that we work so hard to make better and protect.

“We would certainly never intentionally hurt or insult anyone regardless of race, colour, orientation or religion. We spend all of our time trying to do right by the community and are here to do all we can for anyone. When we have Halloween dances you never know what you are going to see come through the door."

"Most times we think, ‘Ah, it is a costume,’ without really thinking of the big picture or the past it represents,” he added.

The local police force, Cape Breton Regional Police, has said they are looking into the incident.