Klan Leader: We Did Not Bring Hatred to Milford

The leader of the United Klans of America (UKA), the group believed to have distributed about 50 “neighborhood watch” fliers throughout Milford in the last week, says his group is far removed from the Ku Klux Klan synonymous with lynchings, white robes and cross burning.

“Our whole entire goal is to prove that the people that have been calling themselves Klan for so many years are not true Klansmen,” says Bradley Jenkins, imperial wizard of the Alabama-based white supremacist group.

“I myself or any member of the UKA has never done anything to violate anyone’s civil rights, anything that can be considered a hate crime.”

Jenkins said the United Klans of America is a philanthropic, Christian-based organization with a focus on God, country and family. The group is a member of the Invisible Empire, “which is a large, large organization,” he said.

It Was a Simple Message, Says Jenkins

“We have no ill intent in our heart,” Jenkins said. “We are not the ones that brought the word racist, we are not the ones that brought the word hatred, we are not the ones that brought all that to the state of Connecticut.

"The only thing we simply said is that people need to organize a neighborhood watch and it’s stirred up so much controversy.”

The fliers, which police say are contained in a plastic baggie weighted with rocks so as to be thrown from a car, broadcasts the message, “Neighborhood Watch: You can sleep well tonight knowing the UKA is awake.”

Malloy Denounces Fliers

On Wednesday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called a news conference on the steps of Milford City Hall to denounce Jenkins’ group and the leafleting.

“Maybe they’ve gotten what they wanted, maybe they just wanted some attention,” Malloy said. “But the danger of that is soiling the reputation of Milford, the reputation of our state – Klan, you are not welcomed in the state of Connecticut. No one in their right mind is asking you to be here.”

Jenkins said he’s not aware of any members in Connecticut but the fliers are available online to the general public.

“I don’t know who’s a part of these (fliers) but our communities need help in a dire way so God bless the people that are doing it because there’s nothing racist about it,” he said.

Leafleting Is 'Illegal,' Says Police Chief

Joining Malloy, Mayor Ben Blake and other local and state officials at the news conference, Milford Police Chief Keith Mello spoke about the legality of the leafleting.

“This or any other material that’s left on someone’s private property without their permission is a violation of two state statutes, as we see it, and a violation of a city ordinance,” Mello said.

The police chief said the department left a voicemail on the number provided on the flier but “nobody’s called us back. We’ve made it very clear in our message, this is to stop – it’s illegal.”

Jenkins said he’s had no correspondence with authorities in Milford or Connecticut. He said his reaction to the leafleting being labeled illegal “is called the U.S. Constitution and our Bill of Rights and that’s the statement we will stand on.”