Eighteen members of the Ku Klux Klan held a brief, largely subdued rally in Lower Manhattan on October 23, 1999, as they faced overwhelming opposition from counterdemonstrators, police, and the media. The group, consisting of 16 men and two women, gathered on a small triangular patch of grass near City Hall for just over an hour, with most wearing their traditional pointed hoods but no masks.

The event concluded a legal battle centered on the Klan’s attempt to wear their customary masks during the demonstration. The New York City Police Department had informed the group that they could not wear masks at the rally, citing an obscure New York state law from 1845 prohibiting masked gatherings. This restriction was upheld by a federal appeals court, blocking the Klan from donning their full uniform facial coverings.

Following this decision, the New York Civil Liberties Union sought emergency intervention from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Klan’s behalf, requesting permission for the masked demonstration. However, the Supreme Court declined to overturn the mask ban, effectively enforcing the prohibition.

Despite the legal constraints, the Klan carried out their demonstration as ordered, standing silently behind police barricades amid a large presence of counterprotesters. The counterdemonstrators vocally denounced the group, and there were reports that some members of the Klan were physically confronted during the rally.

The low turnout and the heavy police presence marked a subdued conclusion to a high-profile constitutional dispute over free speech, public safety, and symbolic expression. The case highlighted ongoing challenges between upholding First Amendment rights and enforcing public order laws.