Dozens protest KKK sign placed on historic building

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — Dozens of people are protesting the possible return of a KKK sign in downtown Dahlonega.

More than 200 people showed up in center of the tourist town in Lumpkin County on Friday afternoon for a “love” protest in support of diversity.

“It's necessary to come out and say no, it's absolutely not OK in any way shape or form,” resident Carrie Schrader said.

The protest was in response to the sign, reading “Historic Ku Klux Klan meeting hall,” which was placed on a historic building late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“My faith tells me it's not enough to have good beliefs but to have good actions too,” said the Rev. Charlotte Arsenault, who organized the demonstration.

Not everyone in town believes that KKK sign going up was about racism.

“Absolutely not. This is simply a dispute between a land owner and the city about a development project. That's all it is,” resident Frank Gilkeson told Channel 2’s Lori Wilson.

The sign was removed by city officials Thursday afternoon because it violated a city sign ordinance. However, Friday, an employee of the building’s owner, Roberta Green-Garrett, filed an application to place the sign back on the building.

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Garrett owns the building where the sign was hung and the one next to it. For about a year, city officials said she has wanted to put a hotel there, but officials say they have not received a formal application.

The city manager sent Wilson a statement Friday night that said as it relates to developing this building, "The city will respond when and if a complete application is filed.”

Wilson was told Garrett is in Florida right now and her calls to Garrett’s property manager were not returned.

Protesters say they don’t care about the reason behind the sign, they just want it removed.

“For whatever reason that sign was hung up, it's an act of violence. It's an attack against everyone that believes in good,” Schrader said.