Imperial Klans of America
Ku Klux Klan organization / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Imperial Klans of America, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (IKA) is a white supremacist, white nationalist, neo-Nazi paramilitary organization. Until the late 2000s, it was the second largest Klan group in the United States,[2] and at one point in the early 2000s, it was the largest.[3] In 2008, the IKA was reported to have at least 23 chapters in 17 states, most of which were small.[4]
Formation | 1996 |
---|---|
Purpose | White supremacy White nationalism Neo-Nazism Antisemitism Homophobia[1] Anti-miscegenation |
Headquarters | Dawson Springs, Kentucky, U.S. |
Ron Edwards | |
Affiliations | Ku Klux Klan |
Website | imperialklansofamerica.com (archived) |
Since then, the IKA has been weakened by a $2.5 million judgment which was imposed on its leader, Ron Edwards, and several of its members, in 2008, for the beating of a 16-year-old teenager of Native American descent, followed by Edwards' conviction and a 4-year prison sentence on drug and gun charges in 2011.[3] Although the IKA remains active in 2020,[2][5] it had dwindled to only 2 chapters by 2012.[3]
The IKA is headquartered at a compound in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, which serves as a venue for the hate-rock gathering Nordic Fest.[2] The group describes itself as the sixth era of the Ku Klux Klan, and as such, it argues that it has constitutional rights as part of the "Unorganized Militia" and it also argues that it stands upon Supreme Court decisions in favor of previous Klans.[6]
In 2011, a recurring hoax concerning the IKA's endorsement of Barack Obama was once again exposed as a farce based on a parody website's humorous reporting.[7] In fact, in 2008, Ron Edwards was quoted as supporting John McCain, despite expressing strong dislike for him, as a means of preventing Obama from taking office.[8]