Photo of black official helping man at KKK rally goes viral

By SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The black director of South Carolina’s public safety agency says he hopes a photo that shows him helping a white man wearing a racist T-shirt will be a catalyst for people to work toward overcoming hate and violence.

Director Leroy Smith said Monday in a statement that he’s surprised the photo taken of him during Saturday’s Ku Klux Klan rally at the Statehouse went viral.

not an uncommon example of humanity in SC: Leroy Smith helps white supremacist to shelter & water as heat bears down. pic.twitter.com/GoF23r3mRe

— Rob Godfrey (@RobGodfrey) July 18, 2015

The photo taken by Gov. Nikki Haley’s spokesman shows Smith leading the unidentified man, who is suffering from the heat, to shade at the top of the Statehouse steps. The man has a swastika on his T-shirt.

Smith says the attention shouldn’t be on him. He says the photo captures “who we are in South Carolina” and represents what law enforcement is all about: helping people.

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