They came marching up Fleming Street dressed in black, armed with Confederate and swastika flags and carrying a message.

• Photos

Michael Holahan/Staff

Counter protesters lined the sidewalk along Walton Way to greet the KKK near the front gate of ASU Saturday afternoon.

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The dozen Ku Klux Klan members settled in the median in front of Augusta State University Saturday and faced nearly 300 onlookers who had been patiently waiting for their arrival.

KKK members looked straight ahead at the hundreds lining the sidewalk guarded by police. The crowd studied their flags, their stances, their appearances - no white hoods or robes in sight.

And the silence broke.

"Why are you here?" shouted an onlooker.

"We all live on this planet together!" yelled another.

"We're here about the Amendments of the Constitution of the United States," said KKK member David Webster. "We believe there is a serious violation of the Constitution."

KKK members and representatives from the Supreme White Alliance rallied at ASU in support of graduate student Jennifer Keeton, who filed suit against the school in July for requiring her to learn about the homosexual community or face expulsion.

The school asked Keeton to complete a remediation plan after she said she would tell gay clients "their behavior is morally wrong and then help the client change that behavior," according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Keeton's attorneys condemned the rally when it was announced earlier this month.

Although the KKK promised at least 50 members would arrive for the three-hour rally, only a group of a dozen showed - 40 minutes late. They left about 30 minutes later. The event did not turn violent.

The dozens of counter-protesters from several homosexual and civil rights organizations made use of their time face-to-face with Klansmen.

Christin Meador, an Augusta native, traveled from New York City to organize a protest against the KKK. She founded Proud Ally in 2009, a national gay-straight alliance that promotes tolerance and education.

"I heard the KKK was coming and said ‘No way, not on my turf," Meador said. "I think obviously those who came in support of equality and love outnumbered those who came in support of white supremacy."

Meador and other counter protesters lined the streets surrounding ASU's main entrance on Walton Way with signs and messages of tolerance an hour before the KKK arrived.

"No second class citizenship," "Love not hate," and "Keeton great career move," were some of signs protesters held in front of the KKK group.

Dialogue continued between Klansmen and protesters continued until the group of KKK members, including one child, marched back down Fleming Street.

Deputies blocked hundreds in the crowd from approaching the KKK members as they followed their retreat.

After weeks of security preparation for the rally, Richmond County Sherriff's Lt. Scott Gay said the showing was as much as he could have expected.

"We're not afraid of them, they are more of an inconvenience," Gay said. "We're here to protect the citizens of Richmond County. Unfortunately, we have to protect (the KKK) too."

After the Klansmen marched out of sight, counter protesters lingered in front of ASU posing for pictures and hugging after the day's efforts.