It was in New Orleans, and yeah, they have video!

NEW ORLEANS, LA – A demonstration calling for the removal of a statue of President Andrew Jackson was briefly interrupted by former Ku Klux Klan Leader and Republican State Representative David Duke, who was promptly chased away by angry participants.

The rally was sponsored Saturday by a group called Take ‘Em Down NOLA, which seeks to remove all honors and symbols of White Supremacy from New Orleans. Dozens of protesters arrived at the city’s Jackson Square to call for the removal of the Andrew Jackson statue, but just before they arrived, David Duke stood just outside the park to denounce that call, and in many respects made the point the protesters were making.

“I tell you one thing. It was built by the forefathers of the European Americans who created this country and who gave us our constitution,” he said. “Who gave us our freedoms and they should not lose their rights and liberty in their own country. They should not have their statues taken down.”

Duke was still there as the march from Congo Square made its way to Jackson Square, and as soon as the marchers saw Duke, they confronted him with chants of “Racist, fascist, anti-gay! Right-wing bigot go away!” Duke, who is running for the Senate in Louisiana, promptly vacated the park.

“This past Saturday’s Take Em Down Action has come as a result of a long struggle to remove symbols to white supremacy from the landscape of New Orleans,” Take Em Down NOLA said in a statement found on their Facebook page. “We don’t want to erase history. We want to promote accurate history. We believe that symbols that honor, celebrate, and promote those who oppress others during the course of history have no place in public space.”

6 persons were arrested on various charges during Saturday’s protest. Another protest was planned for this morning.