Anniston Police Officers Accused of Belonging to Hate Group
Two Anniston police officers were placed on administrative leave Wednesday pending an investigation by the city into their participation in what a Montgomery-based civil rights group describes as a hate group, reports The Anniston Star.
The City of Anniston says that it is placing police Lt. Josh Doggrell and Lt. Wayne Brown on administrative leave after the revelations were posted in an article on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s website Wednesday.
The Southern Poverty Law Center article points to Doggrell’s membership in the League of the South, which the SPLC says promotes a racist brand of “Southern nationalism.” It also notes that Brown attended a 2013 League of the South conference with Doggrell in Wetumpka.
The article includes a video of Doggrell speaking at one of the group’s conferences.
City of Anniston spokeswoman Aziza Jackson says officials are working to “ensure the appropriate action is taken.”
The League of the South has advocated for secession of Southern states from the U.S., and has become increasingly militant and anti-Semitic in recent months, according to SPLC staff. The SPLC says the organization is a neo-confederate group.
League of the South’s website says opposition to federal law, racial and gender equality, and a “vision for an independent Southern republic” are among its core beliefs.
Additional reporting from the Associated Press.
Smithsonian museums and National Zoo set to close as shutdown takes its toll
The shutdown is forcing the closure of a number of America's beloved cultural institutions starting Sunday. Twenty-one Smithsonian museums, its research centers and the National Zoo are all affected.
4 dead and 12 injured in a shooting after Mississippi homecoming game
The small town of Leland, Miss., was rocked by the shooting, which took place late Friday.
Africa’s oldest leader isn’t ready to retire – and he’s not the only one defying age
At 92, Cameroon's President aul Biya is running for an eighth term on Sunday — a reminder of how Africa's aging leaders continue to cling to power, even as their nations face unrest, corruption, and calls for change.
Photos celebrate the glory of girls on ‘International Day of the Girl’
October 11 is the "International Day of the Girl" on the United Nations calendar. These photos pay tribute to the spirit of girls in a world where they face many obstacles.
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers seek a dismissal of federal charges in CEO killing
Mangione's lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss some criminal charges, including the only count for which he could face the death penalty, from a federal indictment brought against him.
Being your authentic self: NPR’s LGBTQ+ readers share their coming out stories
National Coming Out Day is Oct. 11. To celebrate and honor LGBTQ+ people who have come out and those who want to, NPR readers share how they told their loved ones.
