HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WOWO) — Huntington Mayor Richard Strick is speaking out after two individuals were photographed riding horses while dressed in Ku Klux Klan attire during Halloween festivities Saturday. According to 21Alive, photos of the individuals circulated on Facebook over the weekend, gener ating hundreds of comments and widespread criticism from community members. Strick addressed the controversy Sunday, condemning the costumes and acknowledging Indiana’s troubled history with the white supremacist organization. “Indiana’s history with the KKK is a serious and painful chapter for our state,” Strick said. “It was a horrible experience for both people of color and minorities in our state as well as Hoosiers of white descent that opposed the KKK’s lies and violence.” The mayor called the costumes “beyond poor taste” and said the state’s history with the organization should not be taken lightly. Strick said most of the social media comments he had seen condemned the individuals’ actions. He also confirmed that one of the people involved had issued an apology following the backlash. The mayor acknowledged that both the decision to wear the costumes and the public criticism of that decision are protected under the First Amendment. “I agree with the majority of our community in condemning the notion that the KKK or other hate groups are worthwhile costumes or humorous topics,” Strick said. He expressed hope that those involved would reflect on the community’s response and learn from the incident. The identities of the two individuals have not been publicly released in the report. The post Huntington mayor condemns KKK costumes worn during Halloween festivities appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less