An Afro-Latina journalist conducting an interview with a member of the Ku Klux Klan has said he threatened her so violently that she was concerned for her safety.

Ilia Calderón, a Univision journalist with both African and Colombian heritage, agreed to visit KKK leader Chris Barker on his wooded North Carolina property. She watched Mr Barker lead a KKK meeting – in which participants dressed up in hooded robes and danced around with torches – and then sat down for an interview.

Almost immediately, Mr Barker asked her why she didn’t “go back” to her country of origin. (Ms Calderón is an immigrant.)

“We have nothing here in America; ya’ll keep flooding it,” he said. “But like God says – like Yahweh himself says – we will chase you out of here.”

Later, Mr Barker stopped to correct himself, telling Ms Calderón: “No, we’re going to burn you out.”

When the journalist asked him how he planned to “burn out” 11 million immigrants, he responded: “We killed 6 million Jews the last time. Eleven million is nothing.”

Mr Barker is the grand wizard of the Loyal White Knights faction of the KKK, which participated in the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend.

One person at the rally died, and dozens were injured, when a man allegedly mowed down a group of counter-protesters with his car. The Loyal White Knights proceeded to praise the driver for “running over nine communist anti-fascists”.

“When a couple of them die, it doesn’t bother us,” Mr Barker told WBTV. “They’re always attacking and messing with our rallies.”

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

In his interview with Ms Calderón, Mr Barker referred to her as a "n*****” and a "mongrel". He also claimed that his organisation was a Christian group, not a hate group, and that he did not consider himself a racist.

Ms Calderón said she had not expected the level of vitriol she encountered.

“My team told me that I would be insulted, and I knew, but I never imagined the level," she told Univision. “...At that time I was really felt very afraid for my safety and the safety of my team."

The interview was conducted in July, before the Charlottesville rally and before President Donald Trump attributed the casualties to “hatred and violence on both sides”. But in an interview with Radio Blu, Ms Calderón said Mr Trump helped inspire the interview.