The North Carolina chapter of the Ku Klux Klan will hold a rally at Charleston South Carolina’s Statehouse next month to protest efforts to remove the Confederate battle flag.

The Loyal White Knights of the KKK — self-praised as the “largest Klan in America” — plans to host several hundred people to march against opponents of the controversial flag on July 18, the Charleston Post and Courier reported.

“This is our state, and they are not welcome," she said.

Robert Jones, the group’s “grand dragon,” told the Post that the KKK is a civil rights organization protecting white culture. Mr Jones also said that confessed murderer Dylann Roof was only slightly off target for killing nine black parishioners in cold blood while they attended bible study.

“He was heading in the right direction; wrong target. He should have actually aimed at the African-American gang-bangers, the ones who are selling the drugs to white youth, the ones who are robbing and raping every chance they get,” he said.

The paper also reported that the KKK’s voicemail referred to Mr Roof as a “warrior.”