A member of the Ku Klux Klan was photographed sporting dreadlocks at a rally in Virginia last week, sparking confusion, outrage and disbelief.

DeVante Cunningham, a recent University of Virginia graduate, snapped the photo in Charlottesville, on Saturday, before it went viral on Twitter.

Many expressed their bewilderment and pointed to the inconsistency in appropriating black culture while subscribing to white supremacist views.

Twitter user @Olaorun wrote: 'Even when they hate black people they can't stop loving our culture.'

Others failed to see the uproar and argued dreadlocks have existed in numerous cultures.

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DeVante Cunningham, a recent University of Virginia graduate, snapped the photo at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday

Many expressed their bewilderment and pointed to the inconsistency in appropriating black culture while subscribing to white supremacist views

Cunningham, who said he was shocked by the man's appearance at the rally, told the BBC: 'We're looking at the KKK here, and dreadlocks are basically a symbol of African culture. It was really weird to see.'

He shared the photograph on Twitter, which was liked and retweeted more than 95,000 times.

The man, who has not been identified, wore KKK symbols on his shirt along with dreadlocks he pulled back underneath his baseball cap, prompting an outpouring of reactions online.

While dreadlocks date back thousands of years and have been prevalent in numerous cultures, the hairstyle was popularized in the 1970s by Bob Marley and the rise of Rastafarians.

Members of the KKK and other protesters gathered in Virginia on Saturday to protest the planned removal of a Confederate statue

Many social media users expressed their disbelief through gifs and memes, while user @justice__4__all wrote: 'Someone needs to tell that guy he's racisting wrong.'

Frederick Edwards joked: 'If he also happens to be a rapper, he should use "White Suprem-MC" as his stage name.'

Twitter users also pointed out other instances of KKK members riffing off black culture, whether it was wearing shoes by FUBU, a brand started by black entrepreneur Daymond John, which stands for 'for us, by us'.

But others didn't see the point behind the uproar, and Twitter user @whatisatwit_ter wrote: 'What's your point? Dreadlocks are not a black "thing"'

Frederick Edwards joked: 'If he also happens to be a rapper, he should use "White Suprem-MC" as his stage name.'

Twitter users also pointed out other instances of KKK members riffing off black culture

The rally on Saturday was held by the Loyal White Knights of the KKK to protest the planned removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee, who oversaw Confederate forces in the US Civil War.

The protest, which was authorized by officials in Virginia on the grounds of free speech, saw a group of 50 people, some of whom waved Confederate flags while others wore the KKK's distinctive white hoods.

They were met with nearly a thousand counter-protesters shouting "racists go home!" and other chants.

About two dozen people were arrested, mostly for failing to disperse as the rally ended, officials said.

The debate about the legacy of key figures in many former Confederate states extends from Louisiana to Georgia and the Carolinas, and even in Washington, where a stained glass window in the National Cathedral depicts a Confederate soldier.

The protest was authorized by officials in Virginia on the grounds of free speech. A group of 50 were met with nearly a thousand counter protesters