A Canadian firefighters organization is facing backlash on social media after four people who appeared to be dressed as Ku Klux Klan members were seen at the organization’s Halloween party.

The people wore white suits and pointed hats as they attended the North Sydney Firefighters Club party in Nova Scotia.

The firefighters club said the individuals are “not in any way, shape or form” associated with the organization.

“We made a mistake!” the club said further Facebook.

The organization also said it promises to “get better” going forward.

“We apologize to anyone in our community who was offended or hurt by our lack of action,” the club said.

Social media users continued to lash out at the organization in the comments section of the post.

“This is not a mistake, this is blatant racism,” one user commented. “They should never have been let in. Excuses are meaningless without any actions behind them.”

Additional users called the apology “pathetic” and “weak”.

Fire Chief Lloyd MacIntosh told me Global news that volunteers let the people in the KKK costumes into the party. Volunteers also asked the individuals to remove their hoods, but some refused. One person also had a cross that volunteers confiscated.

“They were allowed in, they shouldn’t have been,” MacIntosh said.

He said firefighters at the club have been “threatened with injury” following the incident.

Deputy Fire Chief Wade Gouthro said the incident “is not who we are or what we stand for.”

“I can tell you this, the members of North Sydney and I are very sorry from the bottom of our hearts and we ask for your forgiveness,” Mr Gouthro said. “We would certainly never knowingly harm or offend anyone regardless of race, color, orientation or religion. We spend all our time trying to do right by society and are here to do anything we can for anyone. I can also tell you that being called racist hurts we are all one on this earth and equal in every way.”

Gouthro said he did not dance that night.

“When we have Halloween dances, you never know what you’re going to see come through the door,” Gouthro said. “Most times we think ‘ah it’s a costume’ without really thinking about the bigger picture or the past that it represents. So when you say they shouldn’t have come in and we need to do better, you’re right , and we will.”

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