WRIC – RICHMOND — More than a thousand members of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans (SCV) will be in Central Virginia for the group's 120th reunion starting today. This year, they're expecting some controversy though.
Local groups have started Facebook pages encouraging people to come out and support their cause. They claim the Confederate heritage group is racist and they want to bring attention to that.
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Several people are planning to stand outside the Doubletree hotel by Hilton off Midlothian Turnpike to protest the five-day reunion and the reception that is happening tonight.
Event organizers say they're not expecting any trouble this week as long as they protest in peace. However, James Ray with The J.E.B. Stuart Camp #1343, who's hosting the reunion, says security for the event has been stepped up.
"We've added some extra security this year that we don't ordinarily have. Chesterfield County police will be present in and around the hotel," Ray said.
SCV says most are ill-informed about their group. They hope to start a conversation with those who are against them.
"Northern propaganda has succeeded in convincing most people that the war is solely about slavery," Ray said. "There's a lot more to it than that."
Later on today, demonstrators plan on protesting outside the museum of the Confederacy — where the reunion kicks-off this evening.
This is a developing story.