Videos and photos posted on social media since the weekend show a group of six or seven people in white pointed robes and hoods. The clips appear to show a Halloween party in El Paso, Texas, where the group walks along a street at night. A local community account on social media claimed the street is in the eastern part of the city, though that is unconfirmed.
According to NBC News, police place the street in El Paso. Police also stated that the group reportedly includes young people, and another report stated that the people in the videos have not been identified. In one clip, someone behind the camera laughs and tells the group, “Y’all gotta yell something, güey.”
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar stated in a Facebook post on Oct. 25 that accounts of teens in Klan outfits, accused of yelling racial slurs, were “deeply disturbing and unacceptable.” She stated that the Klan “represents a shameful history of white supremacy, racial terror, and violence against Black Americans.” Online copies of the clips censor the alleged slurs.
Police are reviewing the videos
El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas stated in a department statement that officers are checking if the group broke any law, including disorderly conduct “or other applicable offenses.” He added, “Treating that history as a costume or a joke is unacceptable.” He also noted that “Free expression has limits,” and asked anyone with information to contact the department.
The NAACP’s El Paso chapter held a news conference outside the El Paso County courthouse on Oct. 26, with around 25 supporters. The crowd sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black national anthem, before Carl B. Dwyer Jr., the branch president, spoke. “Many believe that it’s just a joke,” he stated.
Dwyer became emotional as he continued, stating, “It hurts, it hurts.” He added, “It is not a joke, and it is not funny.” He stated that he served 31 years in the U.S. Army and acknowledged people’s right to free speech. He wants education to come before punishment and hopes to speak with those involved.
He also called on school superintendents and districts to act, stating, “Please, do something about this.” Pastor Artie C. Maxwell Jr. of Mount Zion Baptist Church spoke as well, stating, “it’s not a joke when it comes to the lives that have come before us.”
The branch plans to hold a town hall on discrimination that will also cover school incidents, vice president Diane Williams stated. A date has not been announced. State Sen. Cesar Blanco also responded, stating, “This behavior is unacceptable.” Mayor Renard Johnson responded as well, stating, “Hate is not a costume, racism is not a joke, and our community deserves better.”
The Klan, a hate group founded in 1865, also operated in El Paso. Archives show it ran its own city election candidates in 1923 and lost. Racial slurs shouted in public have also drawn attention elsewhere, such as when a woman screamed racial slurs at EMS workers.
Published: Oct 27, 2026 01:39 pm