ND hockey fans emulate Ku Klux Klan for 'white-out'

Three students at a high school hockey game in Grand Forks stirred up quite the controversy after showing up in white hoods and robes, similar to costumes worn by the KKK.

WDAZ reports a photo taken by University of North Dakota student Shane Schuster during Red River’s state semifinals game Friday against Fargo Davies shows Red River fans dressed in all white-garb, but three students may have gone a little too far.

I guess the red river highschoolers are racist? @caitlinknoell @thor_skoe @hunterhalonen @rosslien #wtf twitter.com/ShaneSchuster/…

— Shane Schuster (@ShaneSchuster) February 23, 2013

The practice of wearing white to hockey games is a tradition popularized by the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and UND has also adopted the practice in recent years.

“That’s pretty tacky,” Davies head coach Brian Davidson tells the Grand Forks Herald. “No not in today’s days, c’mon.”

Fargo Public School Athletic Director and former athletic director for Grand Forks Central and Grand Forks Red River Schools, Todd Olson, tells WDAY that all-white clothing is generally an accepted part of “white-outs.”

“To be very honest, I think you’re looking for something that is not there,” Olson said.

Deadspin already got their hands on the story: “Someone is either very handy with Photoshop and committed to making North Dakota-area high schoolers look bad, or there are some extremely intolerant and/or stupid North Dakota-area high schoolers.”

The Twitter photo generated numerous comments:

Taking “white out” to a whole new level. RT @shaneschuster: I guess the red river highschoolers are racist? #wtf twitter.com/ShaneSchuster/…

— Amy Stroup (@StroupAmy) February 23, 2013

@tommillergf @schlossmangf @shaneschuster They are not even smart enough to know they are stupid. Youth is often wasted on the young.

— Darin King (@darinrking) February 23, 2013

This. Cant. Be. Real. MT @shaneschusterI guess the red river highschoolers are racist? twitter.com/lyox5E3UZm

— Tom Miller (@tommillergf) February 23, 2013

@shaneschuster correction: THREE of red rivers students thought it would be funny. just because they did it doesn’t mean our school agrees

— Megan Knoell (@meganknoell) February 23, 2013