In early November of 1924, ethnic and religious tensions that had been brewing for over a year came to a head in Niles Ohio. The presence of the Ku Klux Klan, and their ties to area politics, was perceived as a threat to many Niles residents of Italian and Irish descent. The Klan had made a point to targeting Catholics, and residents felt the need to create an opposition. Out of this necessity the Knights of the Flaming Circle was formed, an anti-Klan group that wasn’t afraid to meet the Klan’s violence with more violence. The local Mayor Harvey Kistler allowed several Klan members to fill local law enforcement positions, and granted the Klan a permit to hold a parade on November 1, 1924, after having previously denied earlier requests. The Knights of the Flaming Circle applied for their own permit to hold a parade in hopes of stopping the Klan, but were denied. From there the situation rapidly deteriorated. On October 29 Kistler’s home was bombed, but the parade was still not canceled. On November 1, 25,000 Klan members descended on Niles and were met with 10,000 members of the Flaming Circle. What ensued was a riot lasting for over 18 hours resulting in the Ohio governor’s declaration of Marshall Law and the militia being sent in. Local community members recall stories from family members of gun violence, cars being searched and overturned, and not being able to leave their homes for the duration of the riots. At the end, it was seen as a victory for the Irish and Italian communities, and the KKK experienced a rapid decline and loss of political power in the area.