A video posted to social media shows about a dozen masked people on a street corner holding a sign that says “Keep New England White.” Someone can be heard yelling “White power.” They appear to have been just outside the city’s police headquarters.
Danbury Mayor Roberto Alvez said he respects free speech.
“But we’re also entitled to stand up against them and call them the cowards they are," Alvez said. "This is why they come in masks. It might not be a white sheet and a white hood anymore; the KKK is a black mask and T-shirts now, but it’s the exact same thing.”
Alves said the people at the rally wore masks for a reason.
"They don’t want their families to know who they are," he said. "They don’t want their neighbors to know who they are. They don’t want their employers to know who they are. Because they know what they’re doing is wrong and they are cowards for that. It is meant to drive fear in a diverse community, but we are not scared. We will stand united.”
Tensions have been high in Danbury this year after multiple ICE raids, including an extended operation in August where agents detained at least 70 people.
Carolina Bortoletto is with Danbury United for Immigrants. She said it's not a coincidence.
"It's tied to the anti-immigrant violence that we're seeing across Connecticut and in the state," Bortoletto said. Those folks who came to Danbury on Saturday, their goal is to strike fear into a community."
Alves said police are investigating. He said the rallygoers appear to have shown up only for a few minutes and quickly dispersed.
