© 2024 WYSO
Our Community. Our Nation. Our World.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

City Of Dayton Sues To Stop Hate Group Rally

City of Dayton officials stand firm in opposition to Honorable Sacred Knights' planned rally on Courthouse Square.
Jerry Kenney
City of Dayton officials stand firm in opposition to Honorable Sacred Knights' planned rally on Courthouse Square.

The city of Dayton has filed a lawsuit against an out-of-state group that plans to hold a rally on Dayton’s Courthouse Square in May. City officials say the Honorable Sacred Knights is a paramilitary group and the rally they are planning is in violation of Ohio’s constitution.

Last month, Montgomery County, which oversees Courthouse Square, granted the Indiana group believed to be affiliated with the KKK permission to rally on May 25th.

Following Wednesday morning’s city commission meeting, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said the city will do what’s possible to stop the group from bringing a message of hate into the city.

“We will not allow ourselves to be threatened by this group or their message of hate. The city condemns any attempt to divide our community and intimidate our neighbors.”

The suit was filed on Wednesday in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas so it’s unclear how soon any decision could come down.

In the meantime, Whaley says the city wants to meet with any groups planning to counter protest to decide on a Unified front.

“Should we be unsuccessful in the lawsuit you know, it’s still good for us to celebrate unity and we don't celebrate that if we have 12 different groups doing 12 different actions. We celebrate it if we all can all come together, and I think that that can be done. We'll see next week.”

Just last week, a coalition of groups gathered at a church in Northwest Dayton, to plan a counter-protest to the Knights’ rally.

The public meeting established by city officials is scheduled for 7 p.m., March 20 at Grace United Methodist Church on Harvard Blvd. in Dayton.

Jerry began volunteering at WYSO in 1991 and hosting Sunday night's Alpha Rhythms in 1992. He joined the YSO staff in 2007 as Morning Edition Host, then All Things Considered. He's hosted Sunday morning's WYSO Weekend since 2008 and produced several radio dramas and specials . In 2009 Jerry received the Best Feature award from Public Radio News Directors Inc., and was named the 2023 winner of the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors Best Anchor/News Host award. His current, heart-felt projects include the occasional series Bulletin Board Diaries, which focuses on local, old-school advertisers and small business owners. He has also returned as the co-host Alpha Rhythms.